American troops on a mission in Paktika Province, Afghanistan, last fall. Under a new plan, elite units will soon play a bigger role. Tyler Hicks/The New York TimesU.S. Plans Shift To Elite Units As It Winds Down In Afghanistan -- New York Times
WASHINGTON — The United States’ plan to wind down its combat role in Afghanistan a year earlier than expected relies on shifting responsibility to Special Operations forces that hunt insurgent leaders and train local troops, according to senior Pentagon officials and military officers. These forces could remain in the country well after the NATO mission ends in late 2014.
The plan, if approved by President Obama, would amount to the most significant evolution in the military campaign since Mr. Obama sent in 32,000 more troops to wage an intensive and costly counterinsurgency effort.
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