Afghan Review Says Hunting Taliban Is Only 5% of Troops' Job

U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Graham Auten and Army Brig. Gen. Guy L. Sands-Pingot, left, assistant inspector general for the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, visited the construction site of a damaged road in Mahmood Raqi, Afghanistan, Aug. 12, 2009. Auten is a civil engineer assigned to the Kapisa-Parwan Provincial Reconstruction Team, which is evaluating the progress of construction sites across Kapisa province. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Teddy Wade

From ABC News:

Karzai Slams Hat Down in Anger During Holbrooke Meeting.

The head of international forces told troops in Afghanistan today that they should focus less on killing Taliban and more on protecting civilians, a continuing shift in strategy as the war becomes increasingly deadly.

Today a roadside bomb and gun attack killed the 44th U.S. soldier in August, one fewer than killed in July, including troops who died outside of Afghanistan due to sickness. July and August have been the two deadliest months of the war, a spike caused largely by a surge of 21,000 troops arriving in volatile southern Afghanistan in the last few months.

Read more ....

Update: US general aims for Afghan hearts in anti-Taliban fight -- AFP

My Comment: The Taliban approach to this war is simpler. Hunting U.S. and NATO troops with their Afghan allies is 100% of their job .... not 5%.

Hmmmm ..... who do you think is going to win?

Update On Commentary: The Captain's Journal's analysis on this thinking is priceless. The link to his post .... McChrystal Releases Counterinsurgency Guidance and Requests More Troops .... is here.

COMISAF COIN GUIDANCE