Official: US moving to expand airstrikes in Afghanistan

[webfact]

Official: US moving to expand airstrikes in Afghanistan
By LOLITA C. BALDOR and ROBERT BURNS

WASHINGTON (AP) — After months of debate, the U.S. is close to a decision to expand the military's authority to conduct airstrikes against the Taliban as the violence in Afghanistan escalates, a senior U.S. defense official said Thursday.

The official said a final decision has not been made, but the discussions are in their final stages. There is a broad desire across the Obama administration to give the military greater ability to help the Afghans fight and win the war. The official said the U.S. is likely to expand the authority of U.S. commanders to strike the Taliban and do whatever else is necessary with the forces they have to support the Afghan operations.

The 9,800 U.S. troops still in Afghanistan, however, would still not be involved in direct combat.

The official was not authorized to talk publicly about the discussions so spoke on condition of anonymity.

The expected decision comes as the Afghans struggle with a resurgent Taliban, particularly in the south. But it is fraught with political sensitivities because President Barack Obama had made clear his commitment to get U.S. forces out of Afghanistan. That effort, however, has been stalled by the slow pace of the development of the Afghan military and the resilience of the Taliban.

The Taliban are refocusing their attention mostly on the southern provinces of Helmand, Kandahar and Uruzgan, according to U.S. and Afghan military officials, although the insurgents also have struck elsewhere, such as in Kunduz province in the north, where they overran and held the provincial capital for a few days last fall.

The results have been daunting: The U.N. says 3,545 Afghan civilians were killed and 7,457 wounded in 2015, most of them by the Taliban.

The U.S. has continued to conduct counterterrorism strikes against al-Qaida and Islamic State militants in Afghanistan. But strikes against the Taliban were largely halted at the end of 2014, when the U.S.-led coalition's combat role ended. Limited strikes have been allowed in cases of self-defense or when Afghan forces were in danger of being overrun.

Gen. John Nicholson, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, has discussed with Defense Secretary Ash Carter his recommendations for moves the U.S. can make to further assist the Afghans. And there have been ongoing conversations with the White House.

Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook, asked Thursday whether the administration was looking at expanding the U.S. military's authorities to strike the Taliban more broadly, said: "In every step of our review of Afghanistan, the question of what's the best way to use our forces is something we're constantly looking at. It's also in the same sense that we're looking at the number of troops. We are always looking at the authorities question and the best use of our troops."

Nicholson's predecessor, Gen. John Campbell, made it known before he left Kabul in March that he believed Carter should consider expanding U.S. military authorities to take on the Taliban.

Also under discussion is whether the U.S. should reduce the number of American troops in Afghanistan to 5,500 as planned by the end of this year, or if a higher number is needed. Campbell favored keeping the troop level at the current total of 9,800 into next year.

U.S. officials have insisted they are encouraged by the Afghan forces' resilience, despite their high rate of battlefield casualties. And they point to the Taliban's loss of its leader, Mullah Mohammed Akhtar Mansour, who was killed by a U.S. drone strike in late May in Pakistan.

The U.S. and NATO formally ended their combat mission in Afghanistan at the end of 2014, but have continued to provide support and assistance as the Afghan forces struggle to grow and gain greater capabilities, including in their air operations.

Brig. Gen. Charles Cleveland said last week that Nicholson was sending his assessment of the ongoing security threat there and the needs of the Afghan military to U.S. Central Command and to the Pentagon, and was expected to brief senior military leaders soon afterward.


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-06-10

[bassman]

After 8 years Obama has made no progress, will he let this go until ISIS has another part of the caliphate. The Obama administration has been micromanaging the military, and commander after commander are not getting the right support. Did not know until today that CIA had to get DOS approval to do drone hits, during Clinton's time as secretary, (more of her emails just released). Since Jimmy Cater was president the democrats have a history of their animosity towards the military. Well documented by most former commanders books and interviews.

You put the men and women of your military in harms way they need to be supported, if you cannot support them, than get out. Kinda' like the old marching tune:

get it in,

get it out,

quit fu screwing about

[gyrosman]

has the world of law by-standing citizens must live in fear and bondage no matter of their culture. The poor Syrians, barrel bombings, IS, PLANES BOMBED, Boko HAROB , World trade center, trains in UK,Spain, ISRAEL, Saudi, YEMEN.

All you liberals living safely until its in your neighborhood. BLAST ALL OF THESE ANIMALS OFF THE FACE OF THE WORLD.

WHERE IS THE REST OF DEMOCRATIC countries so called supporting peace, But no, the USA gets screw every-time they try to help. YOU chicken shits in Europe don't do anything about the Russians in the CRIMEA or China building military bases in the middle of oceans.

TAKE THEM OUT

[arjunadawn]

On all the vital issues of war and rumors Obama has done nothing. And it's no surprise. These issues are no more than the magicians other hand. While we watched the podium and his Nobel he embroiled the US in ever more quagmires. When Obama leaves all of the same issues as before remain, and numerous new issues exist by the actions of the other hand. America is net f___d by the time Obama leaves office.

* Hard to make progress when you aid and abet the enemy by releasing their leaders and icons.

[Scott]

Off-topic post removed.