CHAHAR BAGH, Afghanistan - The harsh sound of the national anthem blasting over the countryside on the weekend left little doubt that a new battle for one of the most dangerous districts of southern Afghanistan had been joined in earnest.
As Canadian soldiers turned up the volume on the portable speaker and two American Kiowa helicopters twisted and turned overhead, Canadian-mentored Afghan soldiers swept through the village of Chahar Bagh.
Scores of freshly arrived U.S. troops -- ultimately under Canadian command -- provided firepower support.
Without subtlety, Operation Eagle had landed in the Arghandab district village, marking several firsts.
The daylong sweep of Chahar Bagh was the first time the Canadian-mentored battalion of Afghan soldiers -- known as 3rd Kandak -- had planned and executed a major operation.
It was also the first time the 2-508 unit of the U.S. 82nd Airborne had deployed in Canada's new area of operations.
Arghandab is prized by the Taliban insurgency as a key entrance to Kandahar city just to the south.
The last time American troops ventured into the village -- less than two months ago at the height of "fighting season" -- eight soldiers were killed when a massive improvised explosive device blew apart their vehicle.
Canadian soldiers, too, found themselves in a night-long firefight after an IED disabled one of their vehicles.
This time, however, the sweep that began at first light was uneventful. Sloshing through canals and muddy fields, the vanguard of Afghan soldiers encountered a seemingly deserted village.
That's where the music came in, punctuated by loud messages in Pashto urging the unseen villagers not to be afraid, but to come out and meet with the Afghan soldiers.
Some did, sitting down to talk about their concerns, and hopefully to pass on intelligence about an enemy that had clearly melted away.
Adding spice to the mission for the Afghan soldiers was the presence of an evaluation team from regional NATO headquarters that spent days watching them prepare and execute the operation.
A key part of the international community's anti-Taliban effort is to build the Afghan National Army to the point where it can function effectively on its own in securing the war-torn country.
Maj. Andrew Vivian, who heads the unit of Canadian mentors for 3rd Kandak, admitted feeling like a teacher whose students are about to take an important exam.
"Ultimately, we succeed when the ANA are out flourishing on their own (and) conducting independent operations," Vivian said.
"If they succeed, it means we have done our jobs."
Little of interest was found during the search of homes and compounds.
Still, U.S. Capt. Adam Armstrong, commander of Bravo company for 2-508, called the operation a success.
"This is supposedly a bad area, and here (the Afghan soldiers) are where they're supposed to be afraid," Armstrong said.
As the troops surveyed their exit route, a sharp-eyed Canadian soldier spotted what at first looked like a rock.
It turned out to be a huge IED laid on the well-travelled route. An anti-personnel mine was concealed next to it.
Soon after a scared looking youngster pushing a bicycle and a little girl passed close by, the area was sealed off until an American combat engineer blasted the lethal devices to oblivion.
"It's a horrible thing that (the insurgents) are trying to get (coalition forces) and eventually they might hit their fellow local nationals," said Master Cpl. Curtis Baglee, who first spotted the device.
"It's a good thing we saved somebody's life today -- at least an appendage."
The only other incident occurred when someone fired two rounds at the departing soldiers, but no one was hit.
In keeping with Canadian Brig.-Gen. Daniel Menard's new strategy of having his soldiers leave the safety of their bases and "live" among local Afghans, a platoon of Americans found a compound and settled in as the others left.
"When we stay and the ANA continues to conduct operations in here, that's the real change, because that hasn't happened here before," Armstrong said.
"The object is to keep this cycle going."
