{"id":42445,"date":"2018-01-02T20:22:42","date_gmt":"2018-01-02T20:22:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/01\/02\/top-us-commander-wants-more-aggressive-afghan-push-this-year\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T07:27:22","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T07:27:22","slug":"top-us-commander-wants-more-aggressive-afghan-push-this-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/01\/02\/top-us-commander-wants-more-aggressive-afghan-push-this-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Top US commander wants more aggressive Afghan push this year"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 The top American commander for the Middle East wants a more aggressive Afghan military pressuring Taliban and other insurgents over the normally quieter months of Afghanistan\u2019s winter, and then quickly going on the offensive in the spring. It\u2019s all part of a plan the United States hopes will change the course of a war now entering its 17th year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gen. Joseph Votel of U.S. Central Command said an influx of new American trainers can help escalate the fight. They\u2019ll be operating with Afghan units, closer to the front lines and at greater risk, but Votel said U.S. commanders will ensure American and allied forces have adequate protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The goal is to get the Afghan military moving on its military campaign sooner, rather than later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States wants the \u201cfocus on offensive operations and we\u2019ll look for a major effort to gain the initiative very quickly as we enter into the fighting season,\u201d Votel said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Afghan forces must \u201ckeep the pressure on all the time and work to gain the upper hand as quickly as we can. So that as we get into this next fighting season we can build on the initiative,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Trump administration\u2019s Afghanistan strategy gives the U.S. military greater authority to launch offensive attacks against a resilient Taliban and an emerging Islamic State affiliate. The plan, announced in August, was designed to reverse a stalemate in America\u2019s longest war. It specifically eliminates the Obama administration\u2019s scheduled plan to withdraw U.S. forces, but includes no dramatic changes in an approach that has failed to stabilize the country or snuff out extremist groups operating from Afghan territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As 2018 begins, Afghanistan appears to be high on President Donald Trump\u2019s agenda. On New Year\u2019s Day, he slammed Afghanistan\u2019s neighbor Pakistan in a tweet for \u201clies & deceit,\u201d accusing the country of playing U.S. leaders for \u201cfools\u201d by not crushing militants in its territory. A major focus of Trump\u2019s Afghanistan strategy is to persuade Pakistan to eliminate havens for the Taliban and other fighters.<\/p>\n\n\n\t