U.S. Explores Faster Afghan Handover

[Pirate Smile]

Source: The Wall Street Journal

WASHINGTON—The Obama administration is exploring a shift in the military's mission in Afghanistan to an advisory role as soon as next year, senior officials said, a move that would scale back U.S. combat duties well ahead of their scheduled conclusion at the end of 2014.

Such a move would have broad implications for the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan. It could begin a phase-out of the current troop-intensive approach, which focuses on protecting the Afghan population, in favor of a greater focus on targeted counterterrorism operations, as well as training the Afghan military.
A transition to a training mission could also allow for a faster drawdown of U.S. forces in the country, though officials said discussions about troop levels have yet to move forward.

The revised approach has been discussed in recent high-level meetings involving top defense and administration officials, according to people involved in the deliberations. No decisions have been made, officials said, and policy makers could consider other options that would adjust the mission in other ways, officials said.
Officials said agreement on a formal shift to an advisory role could come as early as a North Atlantic Treaty Organization meeting in May—in the heat of the U.S. presidential election campaign.

-snip-
But some officials say the administration now sees the goal of building a perfect Afghan force by 2014 as no longer attainable, and is looking for a force that is "good enough" to keep the Taliban from overtaking the country.
In anticipation of changes in the U.S. troop posture, the commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, U.S. Gen. John Allen, is pushing to begin giving Afghan forces the lead in some areas of Afghanistan where the fighting is fierce. Doing so would test Afghan fighting skills before the U.S. withdrawal makes it more difficult for the U.S. to provide them with sufficient backup.


Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204621904577014303354145714.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

[Poll_Blind]

1. Here's the only person that had a force "good enough" to keep the Taliban from...

...overtaking the country:


And we left him hanging when he needed us most. Now there is no force to counterbalance the Taliban or the ISI. We lost the War on Terror on 9/9/01.

As far as the article goes, I'll believe it when I see it. Not when Obama says it and certainly not when unnamed administration officials claim it.

PB

[Arctic Dave]

2. Interesting.

I wonder if they are finally recognizing the inevitable and the obvious. A utopian Afghanistan was never going to happen by us being there and only they can achieve their goals, whatever they are.

[OKDem08]

3. too little, too late Obama

hope you're bracing for the animosity you're going to experience on the campaign trail

[pam4water]

4. Here' s how you do it. Tap Hamid Karzai's hat,

say, "Tag your it!" Hope on a f-15 and get the hell out.

[DCBob]

5. good. its time to get out. we have done enough.

the Afghans have to do the rest.

[wordpix]

6. About damn time. It's the war economy, stupid, and the endless wars.

I applaud Obama for FINALLY seeing the light. Better late than never.

[bemildred]

7. Don't let the door hit your butt on the way out. nt