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Afghan Troop Surge A Progress: McChrystal
[Quqnoos] The top US commander in Afghanistan says troop surge has turned the tide against the Taliban."We've been at this for about seven months now and I believe we've made progress," General Stanley McChrystal said in an interview with ABC television on Monday. But he added: "It's not a completed mission yet." President Barack Obama last month approved McChrystal's request for a major increase in US troops in Afghanistan, ordering 30,000 reinforcements. McChrystal issued a warning to Obama in September, saying the Afghan mission could fail without more troops. Asked if NATO-led forces were shifting the momentum against Taliban insurgents, the general said: "I believe we're doing it right now. "I believe we've changed the way we operate in Afghanistan. We've changed some of our structures. I believe we are on the way to convincing the Afghan people that we are here to protect them." Afghan analysts say 2010 is a crucial and decisive year in Afghanistan and predict a bloody year for both foreign and Afghan forces. Yesterday alone, five international soldiers were killed in different attacks in south and eastern region of the country, making it the deadliest day for foreign troops in two months. Posted by: Fred 2010-01-13 |
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