U.S. hopes to begin Afghan security transfer by spring

[Pirate Smile]

Source: Los Angeles Times

Pentagon chief Gates says that with NATO training troops ahead of schedule, some Afghan forces may be given security responsibilities, freeing up Western troops to focus on insurgent-held areas.


Pfc. Abraham Figueroa, 19, of Chicago, keeps watch on patrol in Kandahar province's Arghandab valley, a Taliban stronghold. (Dion Nissenbaum, McClatchy-Tribune / August 2, 2010)

Reporting from Washington —

With training of Afghanistan's army and police ahead of schedule, American officials now believe the U.S.-led military coalition could begin transferring some security responsibilities to Afghan forces as early as spring.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said in an interview that given faster-than-expected progress in training army units, it was likely that those forces could assume primary responsibility for security sooner in less violent areas of the country, freeing up NATO troops for operations elsewhere.

With more Afghan forces, we can be on a path to transition in more places around the country," Gates said. "The success with the army in particular, I think, bodes well for in fact beginning to have some transitions maybe as early as this spring, but certainly beginning in the summer."

Gates was referring to the recent announcement by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization training command in Afghanistan that it had reached its 2010 goal of 134,000 trained Afghan troops two months early.



Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-afghan-progress-20100816,0,1848947.story

[Bragi]

1. Great to hear that things are going so well

Looks like we don't have to wait until 2011 to begin the withdrawal, but can do it now.

It's great when things come together so well.