Top Coalition General Touts Progress of Afghan Security Forces - East Idaho News
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Top Coalition General Touts Progress of Afghan Security Forces

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W 102710 USSoldierWithAfghaniPoliceRecruit?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1336640710196Department of Defense/Pfc. Jorge A. Ortiz, U.S. Marine Corps(WASHINGTON) — A top military commander in Afghanistan says he and others are seeing positive results from the International Security Assistance Force’s growing partnership with the Afghan army and police.

Speaking via video link to Pentagon reporters on Wednesday, British Lt. Gen. Adrian J. Bradshaw boasted of “Afghan national security forces increasing in strength, capability and confidence” due to the joint operation with ISAF troops.

Bradshaw claimed that Afghan army and police are now more equipped to lead and carry out sophisticated, brigade-level missions against the Taliban and Haqqani network, an important function as the U.S. and NATO take more of a backseat in day-to-day military duties.

The general said of the national forces, “They have surprised us, and I think they’ve surprised themselves, with how well they’ve performed in a whole range of different sorts of operations across the theater.”

On the other hand, Bradshaw says that the Taliban is operating with less equipment, weapons and money, which has reversed the momentum they’d enjoyed until last year.

Nevertheless, Bradshaw warned that achieving a total military victory is probably not pragmatic because of how the Taliban and its allies can take sanctuary in Pakistan.

Therefore, Bradshaw said the answer is “a combination of military, economic, political and other measures anyway to effect a total elimination of this problem.”

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

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