Word: talibanizing
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December, Kabul. A cold fog drifted over the airfield. Gates was dressed in a brown bomber jacket, khakis and boots, ready to fly to Kandahar to visit the Stryker brigade that has been devastated by unrelenting Taliban IED attacks. Since their deployment in July, more than 30 soldiers from that brigade have been killed by roadside bombs. Gates had a message for them: "We're in this thing to win." Obama had said nothing of victory during his speech to the West Point cadets. "You can't tell soldiers to fight for a draw," says one of Gates' staff aides...
...attacks against U.S. troops in Afghanistan. To Afghan and Pakistani audiences, Gates likes to reiterate that the U.S. made a big mistake when it abandoned the region after the Soviets withdrew in 1989. This time is different, he says. But the Pakistanis are not convinced. They still count the Taliban as a bulwark against Indian influence in Afghanistan and an ally in the civil war that is sure to follow after the U.S. leaves...
...reminded of the power of the Pentagon corporation last fall when I followed Gates on his visit to the modern-day riveters of Oshkosh, Wis. We went to a factory where they were manufacturing off-road vehicles that could withstand the Afghan Taliban's powerful new IEDs. The workers were heavyset, rough-hewn men and women in unlaced boots, jeans, flannel shirts and goggles. Gates' patriotic speech moved them. One woman told me that whenever she didn't feel like doing her job tightening those screws, she reminded herself that she would be saving the life of Johnny from next...
...Education Ministry, while another three of the seven perpetrators took over a shopping complex across from the Justice Ministry. All the attackers were killed, as were two civilians and three members of the Afghan security forces. At least 70 people were wounded. The incident--a reminder of the Taliban's ability to strike at the shaky Afghan government--came as Kabul mulled a program aimed at persuading insurgents to renounce violence in exchange for economic incentives, amnesty and Taliban representation on a proposed Grand Peace Council...
Writing about the Taliban offensive in Afghanistan on the Daily Beast...