Pentagon Official: The front lines have shifted

With the long-term concentration of American troops leaving Iraq--Afghanistan and Pakistan are the front lines of what has become of an evolving war.

“A critical aspect of this new strategy is the recognition that Afghanistan and Pakistan are two countries that compromise a single theater for our diplomacy,” said Michéle Flournoy, the Undersecretary of Defense Policy, believes that the key to creating a stable Afghanistan relied upon the deployment of soldiers in order to train Afghan security.

According to General David Petraeus, Commander of United States Central Command, Pakistan and Afghanistan are a breeding ground for extremists who pose the great threats to national security.

“The United States has vital national interests in Afghanistan and Pakistan,” said Petraeus. The strategy the Obama administration released, which seeks to increase the amount of military present in Afghanistan, was echoed through the increasing of the military presence within Afghanistan.

However, Petraeus believes, that the additional 4,000 American soldiers to train Afghan security forces will only be successful if employed properly as, “It is vital that they [the American military] be seen as good guests and partners, not as would be conquerors or superiors.”

Petraeus said American soldiers must be “formidable warriors who also do all possible to avoid civilian casualties in the course of combat operation.” Though civilian death are inevitable, Petraeus thinks that they must be minimized as to prevent Afghan public support from turning against America.

Following Petraeus, Admiral Eric T. Olson spoke about the use of special forces units in Afghanistan and Pakistan, which he believes are key because they bring “soft power with a hard edge.” Also, special operation units are not a “one-dimensional gunslinger,” said Olson, “they are equally adept at defense, development, and diplomacy.”