Lt. General Curtis Michael Scaparrotti says that he believes only 1 percent of Afghan troops are ready for independent missions, but that 42 percent are capable if they work with ISAF advisers. [Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Lt. General Curtis Michael Scaparrotti told reporters Wednesday that he is pressuring Commanders to place Afghans in lead security roles, noting that it needs to be done early to prepare for the transfer of security responsibilities. [Audio clip: view full post to listen]  

Responding to Army Lt. Col. Daniel Davis’ claims that military leaders are giving a false impression of the realities in Afghanistan, Lt. General Curtis Michael Scaparrotti emphasized the need for all officers to hold an accurate perspective of the country. He adds that he personally attempts to gather data from…

The Pentagon Thursday attempted to downplay Defense Secretary Leon Panetta’s suggestion that the U.S. might accelerate its withdrawal from Afghanistan.