U.S. Steps Up Special Operations Mission In Afghanistan -- L.A. Times
Under the shift in strategy, the teams now focus on targeting key Taliban figures rather than mainly hunting Al Qaeda leaders and have increased the number of raids they conduct, officials say.
Reporting from Washington - The U.S. military command has quietly shifted and intensified the mission of clandestine special operations forces in Afghanistan, senior officials said, targeting key figures within the Taliban, rather than almost exclusively hunting Al Qaeda leaders.
As a result of orders from Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the top U.S. and allied commander in Afghanistan, the special operations teams are focusing more on killing militants, capturing them or, whenever possible, persuading them to turn against the Taliban-led insurgency.
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Special forces turn from al-Qaida to Taliban -- Chicago Tribune
Taliban sneak past Marines in southern Afghanistan -- AP
Surge Focus Is Roads, Police -- Wall Street Journal
New troops let Marines tackle Taliban stronghold -- Reuters
Chaos and confusion – another day in Kabul -- MSNBC
U.S. soldier killed, Taliban commander nabbed in S. Afghanistan -- China View
Bombs kill four NATO soldiers in 24 hours -- AFP
Two British soldiers killed in Afghanistan bomb attack -- BBC
Two Brits die in Afghanistan suicide bomb raid -- Mirror.co.uk
Bombs in Afghanistan Kill 5 Policemen, 6 Troops -- Voice of America
Roadside bomb kills five Afghan police -- Reuters
Bomb kills 4 Afghan police in western province -- AP
Afghan Police Killings Highlight Holes in Security -- Wall Street Journal
US: Afghan border threat growing -- Al Jazeera
NATO to seek Russian kit, trainers for Afghanistan -- Reuters
Logistics Experts Try to Pull Off Afghanistan "Miracle" -- CBS
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Afghan President Karzai to Name New Cabinet Dec. 19 -- Bloomberg
Two Brits die in Afghanistan suicide bomb raid -- Mirror.co.uk
Bombs in Afghanistan Kill 5 Policemen, 6 Troops -- Voice of America
Roadside bomb kills five Afghan police -- Reuters
Bomb kills 4 Afghan police in western province -- AP
Afghan Police Killings Highlight Holes in Security -- Wall Street Journal
US: Afghan border threat growing -- Al Jazeera
NATO to seek Russian kit, trainers for Afghanistan -- Reuters
Logistics Experts Try to Pull Off Afghanistan "Miracle" -- CBS
Pakistan, U.S. at Odds over Taliban Leader -- CBS News
US Afghan strategy in peril as Pakistan refuses to take on key militant -- Times Online
Karzai delays new Afghan cabinet to Saturday -- Reuters
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Not Vietnam. Not Vietnam. Not...not Vietnam? -- Atlantic
McChrystal explains Afghan strategy -- Winnipeg Free Press
A Test for President Karzai -- New York Times editorial
Bombs in Afghanistan Kill 5 Policemen, 6 Troops -- Voice of America
Roadside bomb kills five Afghan police -- Reuters
Bomb kills 4 Afghan police in western province -- AP
Afghan Police Killings Highlight Holes in Security -- Wall Street Journal
US: Afghan border threat growing -- Al Jazeera
NATO to seek Russian kit, trainers for Afghanistan -- Reuters
Logistics Experts Try to Pull Off Afghanistan "Miracle" -- CBS
Pakistan, U.S. at Odds over Taliban Leader -- CBS News
US Afghan strategy in peril as Pakistan refuses to take on key militant -- Times Online
Karzai delays new Afghan cabinet to Saturday -- Reuters
Afghan President Karzai to Name New Cabinet Dec. 19 -- Bloomberg
Karzai backs accused officials -- National Post
Karzai warns corruption fight will take years -- AFP
Commentaries And Analysis
Not Vietnam. Not Vietnam. Not...not Vietnam? -- Atlantic
McChrystal explains Afghan strategy -- Winnipeg Free Press
A Test for President Karzai -- New York Times editorial