U.S. and Afghan soldiers take cover behind a berm after making contact with insurgents in Dondokay village in the Sayed Abad district in Afghanistan's Wardak province, Nov. 22, 2011. The soldiers are assigned to the 1st Armored Division's Company C, 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team. The operation's objective is to reinforce relationships with Afghan residents and to deny insurgents freedom of movement in the area. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Austin Berner
Nato Plans Push In Eastern Afghanistan To Quell Pakistan-Based Insurgents -- The Guardian
Exclusive: Isaf aims to reduce threat to Kabul by insurgent groups and has not ruled out cross-border raids into Pakistan
Nato commanders are planning a substantial offensive in eastern Afghanistan aimed at insurgent groups based in Pakistan, involving an escalation of aerial attacks on insurgent sanctuaries, and have not ruled out cross-border raids with ground troops.
The aim of the offensive over the next two years is to reduce the threat represented by Pakistan-based groups loyal to insurgent leaders like the Haqqani clan, Mullah Nazir and Hafiz Gul Bahadur. Nato hopes to reduce the level of attacks in the eastern provinces clustered around Kabul to the point where they could be contained by Afghan security forces after transition in 2014.
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My Comment: The purpose of this offensive is to (probably) focus on disrupting the Haqqani network before US troops start to withdraw in 2012