Afghanistan: A Necessary but Dangerous Strategy Shift

U.S. Gen. John Allen, the supreme allied commander in Afghanistan, announced a shift in NATO strategy in Afghanistan during an interview May 12. NATO strategy in the country began to shift in late 2011 from counterinsurgency to the training of an Afghan security force that could assume operational control as the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) gradually redeploys prior to its withdrawal, slated to occur at the end of 2014. Allen said NATO would accelerate the passing of security responsibilities to the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). The new strategy is one born of two constraints: limited time and diminishing resources.