Despite ongoing fighting, the newly appointed civilian chief for Marja said he plans to fly into the town Monday for the first time since the attack to begin restoring Afghan government control and winning over the population after years of Taliban rule.

With fighter jets, drones and attack helicopters roaring overhead, Marine and Afghan companies advanced on a 2-square-mile area where more than 40 insurgents were believed to be holed up.

“They are squeezed,” said Lt. Col. Brian Christmas, commander of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment. “It looks like they want to stay and fight, but they can always drop their weapons and slip away. That’s the nature of this war.” U.S. officials signaled their intention to attack Marja, a major Taliban supply and opium-smuggling center, months ago, apparently in hopes that the insurgents would flee and allow the U.S.-led force to take over quickly and restore an Afghan government presence.

Instead, the insurgents rigged Marja with bombs and booby traps to slow the allied attack, which began Feb. 13.

– Associated Press

SAUDI ARABIA

China leapfrogs U.S. in imports of oil

Saudi Arabia’s oil exports to the United States last year sank below 1 million barrels a day for the first time in two decades just as China’s purchases climbed above that level, highlighting a shift in the geopolitics of oil from West to East.

The drop in U.S. demand for oil from the kingdom, traditionally one of the United States’ primary sources, is the result of not only lower energy consumption, but also greater reliance on imports from Canada and Africa.