The U.S.and NATO commander there, General Stanley McChrystal, has said that without more troops the allied effort could fail.

VOA: standard.2009.11.04

The U.S.and NATO commander in Afghanistan, Army General Stanley McChrystal, has said conditions in Afghanistan are deteriorating.

VOA: standard.2009.09.16

General Craddock said NATO nations have not even filled the commander's request for four battalions to be temporarily deployed to help secure the Afghan presidential election in August.

VOA: standard.2009.03.24

Mrs Clinton has a long-standing relationship with James Jones, the former general and NATO commander whom Mr Obama is said to have tapped as national security adviser (though whether the relationship will survive the traditional rivalry between that role and the secretary of state is another matter).

ECONOMIST: Lexington

Although U.S. officials have warned of possible reprisal attacks by bin Laden supporters, there has been no surge of attacks inside Afghanistan, the commander of NATO forces in eastern Afghanistan said Tuesday.

CNN: U.S. granted access to speak to bin Laden's wives

Ton van Loon, the NATO commander in charge of the troops, said at a news conference late last month that they are acting cautiously to ensure Afghan civilians are not caught in the crossfire.

NPR: Taliban Wages War on Afghan Girls' Schools