Opinion States of war
So far in 2010,the story from the battlefields is one of continued gradual progress in Iraq,some headway in Pakistan and uncertainty in Afghanistan.
So far in 2010,the story from the battlefields is one of continued gradual progress in Iraq,some headway in Pakistan and uncertainty in Afghanistan. The other big headline is that United States force totals in Afghanistan now exceed those in Iraq for the first time since early 2003.
Iraq is of course still complex,but mostly in regard to the political situation,not the military one. Despite incidents like the coordinated bombings last month that killed more than 100 Iraqis around the country,security trends are improving even as United States forces accelerate their drawdown.
In Pakistan,the army continues its silent surge, having moved more than 100,000 troops from the eastern border with India to the western tribal regions over the last few years. Pakistan has largely cleared several key areas of miscreants, as its officials like to describe extremists and insurgents. Still,Pakistans economic and demographic trends remain shaky at best,casting doubt on prospects for longer-term stability.
In Afghanistan,the American and NATO buildup is well under way,with 25,000 coalition troops now in Helmand Province alone. Additional forces are being sent to clear the Taliban from the key southern city of Kandahar. Corruption and the weakness of the Afghan government continue to be the Talibans key advantages. More are efforts to strengthen the Afghan Army and police,whose training and mentoring programs have been revamped under the American commander,Gen. Stanley McChrystal.
Share
