No decisive victory one year into Afghan surge

[unhappycamper]

In this photo taken on Dec. 12, 2010 an Afghan police man, left, searches men at a check point in Kandahar south of Kabul, Afghanistan. One year after President Barack Obama ordered a troop buildup to halt the Taliban's momentum, the war in Afghanistan has not broken decisively in favor of U.S.-led forces _ at least not yet. NATO forces have routed insurgents from their strongholds in southern Afghanistan, the Taliban's strongest region. But the militants have opened new fronts in the north and west and have stepped up attacks in the east.


No decisive victory one year into Afghan surge
By DEB RIECHMANN Associated Press
Posted: 12/13/2010 12:34:11 PM PST
Updated: 12/13/2010 04:37:42 PM PST

KABUL, Afghanistan—One year after President Barack Obama ordered a troop buildup to halt the Taliban's momentum, the war in Afghanistan has not broken decisively in favor of U.S.-led forces—at least not yet.

While NATO forces have routed insurgents from their strongholds in southern Afghanistan, the Taliban's strongest region, the militants have opened new fronts in the north and west and have stepped up attacks in the east.

At the same time, the surge has exacted a high price: More than 680 international troops, including at least 472 Americans, have been killed in 2010, making it the deadliest year of the war. Hundreds of Afghan civilians have also died, most as a result of Taliban attacks.

There has been little progress in dislodging the militants from their sanctuaries across the border in Pakistan. A corrupt and ineffectual Afghan government remains a fragile pillar of the U.S. war strategy. And many Afghans expect the Taliban to return to their southern strongholds when the winter snows melt.

"Will they come back? This will be answered in the spring," said Sadeek Dhottani, a 41-year-old farmer in Marjah. "What I think is yes they probably will because when spring appears, the Taliban always show up with greater force and enthusiasm."

[somone]

1. Any day now