"The truth is the transition of security responsibility from international forces to the ANSF was rushed.
NATO and the E.U. ought to be jointly designing a strategy for the transition of security responsibilities to the new Kosovo nation.
Though Mr. Obama said he had not yet decided on specific troop levels for the rest of the year, he said the United States would accelerate the transition of security responsibilities to the Afghans, which had been set to occur at the middle of the year, because of gains by Afghan forces.
Mr Ghani used to head the commission which oversaw the transition of security responsibility, so he understands the Afghan military.
"The President has announced that this July will mark the beginning of a transition of security responsibility to Afghan forces," he said today on the Senate floor.
In a recent bipartisan vote of 62-33, the U.S. Senate called for a speedy transition of security to Afghan forces before the 2014 deadline, suggesting how unpopular the Afghanistan war has become among members of Congress.
As industry sources describe it, the new Transportation Security Administration, overseeing the transition of airport security screening from airline to government control, objected to the way some airlines had designed special V.I.P. lanes allowing elite customers -- those flying first class or members of the higher levels of frequent-flier programs -- to pass more quickly through security.
"What makes Operation Khanjar different from those that have occurred before is the massive size of the force introduced, the speed at which it will insert, and the fact that where we go we will stay, and where we stay, we will hold, build and work toward transition of all security responsibilities to Afghan forces," the Marine commander in Helmand Province, Brig.
Such errors explain why America wants to change the focus of counter-narcotics from eradication of farmers' fields to targeting middlemen.General Nicholson says NATO will change its ways: "Where we go, we will stay; and where we stay we will hold, build and work toward transition of all security responsibilities to Afghan forces".
He argues that the size of the offensive and plans to stay on after it is completed mean that insurgents can be kept at bay. "Where we go, we will stay, and where we stay, we will hold, build, and work toward transition of all security responsibilities to Afghan forces", he says.
