Petraeus hands over Afghan war amid bloodshed

General Petraeus did a wonderful job in Afghanistan, General Allen has a tough road ahead of him; especially with Obama trying to hamper the progress by removing the much needed troops.


(AP)

KABUL, Afghanistan - Gen. John Allen took over command of American and coalition forces in Afghanistan on Monday from Gen. David Petraeus, assuming responsibility as Afghanistan's international allies draw up exit plans from the nearly 10-year conflict.

Allen said that the drawdown of U.S. forces that started earlier this month and the transition of some areas to Afghan control this week does not mean that international forces are easing up in their campaign to defeat the Taliban insurgency.

"It is my intention to maintain the momentum of the campaign," Allen said at the handover ceremony in the Afghan capital. He said however, that he does not expect the fight to be easy.

"There will be tough days ahead. I have no illusions about the challenges ahead," he said.

U.S. officials have trumpeted success in reclaiming Taliban strongholds in southern Afghanistan and training Afghan security forces as signs that they are finally making progress toward peace in Afghanistan. But violent attacks have continued, including a number of high-profile assaults and assassinations in recent weeks.

On Monday morning, a bomb killed three international service members in the east, NATO said in a statement. It did not provide nationalities or further details. Most of the troops in the east are American.

Karzai's remarks concern Petraeus

WTF?

Karzai Wants the U.S. to leave the Taliban Alone ?
Why else would he say this.

I say Predator drone strikes in Afghanistan now.
It's what we need to pick up the pace a little bit and to tell Karzai to STFU, And sit in the corner till it is over.



The Washington Post
Officials said Petraeus expressed "astonishment and disappointment" with Karzai's call, in an interview Saturday with The Washington Post, to "reduce military operations" and end U.S. Special Operations raids in southern Afghanistan that coalition officials said have killed or captured hundreds of Taliban commanders in recent months.

In a meeting Sunday morning with Ashraf Ghani, who leads the Afghan government's planning on transition, Petraeus made what several officials described as "hypothetical" references to an inability to continue U.S. operations in the face of Karzai's remarks.

Nato's 'safe passage' for Taliban

I'm very skeptical over the whole talking with the Taliban nonsense,It's that whole Taqiya B.S. that People like the Taliban believe in that just does not sit well.

I find it hard to believe that the Taliban is ready for peace.


BBC
Nato has granted safe passage to Kabul for at least one Taliban commander to hold talks with the Afghan government, according to General David Petraeus.

The commander of international forces in Afghanistan said in London the move aimed to back President Hamid Karzai's efforts to reach out to the insurgents.

Despite the peace feelers, analysts say the bigger picture is of an intensifying insurgency in the country.

Afghanistan is facing its bloodiest year since the US-led invasion of 2001.

During his address to a defence think tank, Gen Petraeus said there were "several ongoing initiatives" to try to get the Taliban to the negotiating table.

"Indeed in certain respects we do facilitate that given that needless to say it would not be the easiest of tasks for a senior Taliban commander to enter Afghanistan and make his way to Kabul if Isaf [Nato's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan] were not willing and aware of it and therefore allows it to take place," Gen Petraeus said.

He told the Royal United Services Institute that several "very senior" Taliban leaders had made contact with the Afghan government and other countries engaged in Afghanistan for preliminary discussions.