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| Afghanistan |
| Afghans See American General as Crucial to Country's Defense |
| 2015-09-11 |
| Afghan officials who have worked closely with General Campbell, and who generally approve of his authority, say it has resulted from a mixture of the general's take-charge personality and the dire situation that Afghanistan's military leaders have found themselves in. Casualties among Afghan troops have increased by 50 percent in the first six months of this year, compared with the same period in 2014 ‐ and 2014 was already a huge increase over 2013. Taliban insurgents have opened new fronts in northern Afghanistan, and at times have been on the verge of overrunning the northern city of Kunduz. And the Afghan military has struggled to meet its recruitment goals, facing the prospect that its security forces may actually shrink in size this year. Worst has been the recent situation in the southern province of Helmand, where on Aug. 26 the strategic district of Musa Qala fell to Taliban insurgents, who are on the verge of carving out a major territorial bastion in the area. Afghan officials said that General Campbell's direction has taken on further importance as the Americans have greatly increased airstrikes to help support Afghan forces in crisis spots. |
| Posted by:Wheagum Snavising9926 |