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Pentagon report paints mixed picture of war in Afghanistan
Source: Reuters
Pentagon report paints mixed picture of war in Afghanistan
By Missy Ryan
WASHINGTON | Tue May 1, 2012 1:12pm EDT
(Reuters) - The U.S. military presented a mixed picture of the war in Afghanistan on Tuesday, saying President Barack Obama's surge of 33,000 extra troops had weakened the Taliban but that a resilient insurgency, persistent corruption, and selective cooperation from Pakistan posed a major threat to U.S. efforts.
In a twice-annual report to Congress, the Defense Department said overall insurgent attacks declined in 2011 for the first time in five years, even though violence increased in areas surrounding the Taliban's southern stronghold of Kandahar, a region where U.S. efforts have been focused since 2009.
Overall, the Pentagon said, violence in Afghanistan decreased by 9 percent in 2011 compared to 2010.
The military statistics, released selectively, showed the United States moving "from us essentially losing the war to us making important progress" and seeking to consolidate those gains as foreign troops withdraw, a senior Defense Department official told reporters.
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By Missy Ryan
WASHINGTON | Tue May 1, 2012 1:12pm EDT
(Reuters) - The U.S. military presented a mixed picture of the war in Afghanistan on Tuesday, saying President Barack Obama's surge of 33,000 extra troops had weakened the Taliban but that a resilient insurgency, persistent corruption, and selective cooperation from Pakistan posed a major threat to U.S. efforts.
In a twice-annual report to Congress, the Defense Department said overall insurgent attacks declined in 2011 for the first time in five years, even though violence increased in areas surrounding the Taliban's southern stronghold of Kandahar, a region where U.S. efforts have been focused since 2009.
Overall, the Pentagon said, violence in Afghanistan decreased by 9 percent in 2011 compared to 2010.
The military statistics, released selectively, showed the United States moving "from us essentially losing the war to us making important progress" and seeking to consolidate those gains as foreign troops withdraw, a senior Defense Department official told reporters.
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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/01/us-usa-afghanistan-idUSBRE84015B20120501
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