Afghanistan: Is freedom around the corner?

Four star General Dan McNeil, commander of both U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan said that the Afghan government should be able to successfully hold free elections next year. He said that things are going very well on the ground and that the Afghan people are starting to take control of their country. He said that since 2006 the number of military recruits has grown from 600 per month to around 4,000 in 2008. He also said that the national security force has swelled to nearly 60,000 soldiers.

McNeil said that the one of the major problems facing Afghanistan is narcotics trafficking. He said that around 40% of all weaponry is purchased with money made from narcotics. He said that reducing the sale of narcotics is an issue that must be dealt with by the Afghan government and it is one of the biggest challenges the country must overcome on the road to complete independence.

He said that NATO is doing a good job in Afghanistan but that they could do more and should do more. He said that without help from an outside source, at least for the time being, the Afghans will not be able to remain independent.