{"id":43068,"date":"2018-03-10T18:05:45","date_gmt":"2018-03-10T18:05:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/03\/10\/amid-little-scrutiny-us-military-ramps-up-in-afghanistan\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:03:21","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:03:21","slug":"amid-little-scrutiny-us-military-ramps-up-in-afghanistan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/03\/10\/amid-little-scrutiny-us-military-ramps-up-in-afghanistan\/","title":{"rendered":"Amid little scrutiny, US military ramps up in Afghanistan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 The U.S. is bolstering its military presence in Afghanistan, more than 16 years after the war started. Is anyone paying attention?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consider this: At a Senate hearing this past week on top U.S. security threats, the word \u201cAfghanistan\u201d was spoken exactly four times, each during introductory remarks. In the ensuing two hours of questions for intelligence agency witnesses, no senator asked about Afghanistan, suggesting little interest in a war with nearly 15,000 U.S. troops supporting combat against the Taliban<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not as if the war\u2019s end is in sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This June 10, 2017 photo provided by Operation Resolute Support, U.S. soldiers with Task Force Iron maneuver an M-777 howitzer, so it can be towed into position at Bost Airfield, Afghanistan. (Sgt. Justin T. Updegraf\/Marine Corps via via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Just last month the bulk of an Army training brigade of about 800 soldiers arrived to improve the advising of Afghan forces<\/a>. Since January, attack planes and other aircraft have been added to U.S. forces in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it\u2019s not clear that the war, which began in October 2001, is going as well as the U.S. had hoped seven months after President Donald Trump announced a new, more aggressive strategy. The picture may be clearer once the traditionally most intensive fighting season begins in April or May. Over the winter, American and Afghan warplanes have focused on attacking illicit drug facilities that are a source of Taliban revenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of Washington\u2019s closest watchers of the Afghanistan conflict, Anthony Cordesman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, wrote last month that the administration has made major improvements in military tactics and plans for developing Afghan forces but has \u201cdone nothing to deal with civil and political stability.\u201d That challenge is expected to come into clearer focus with the approach of parliamentary elections planned for July.<\/p>\n\n\n\t