U.S. and Afghan soldiers prepare to board a CH-47 Chinook helicopters to return to base after a mission in the village of Kopak, Mohammud-Agha district, Logar province, Afghanistan, April 22, 2010. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Russell GilchrestU.S. Report on Afghan War Finds Few Gains in 6 Months -- New York Times
KABUL, Afghanistan — A Pentagon report on the last six months in Afghanistan portrays an Afghan government with limited credibility among its people, a still active if not growing insurgency and an enormous reliance on American troops to train, outfit and finance the country’s defense forces for the foreseeable future.
The report, released on Wednesday, is mandated by Congress every six months. It points to some improvements, including an increased optimism among Afghans about their government and the slowing of the insurgency in places where NATO troops have concentrated their efforts.
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My Comment: After spending tens of billions of dollars, scores of lives lost, and a surge that has been growing in strength since last year .... this is all that we have to show for it?
With military and political planners laying the groundwork for an exit strategy two years from now .... I am not optimistic that anything will improve by then .... not optimistic at all.