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| General Joseph Dunford takes over as Nato commander in Afghanistan | General Joseph Dunford takes over as Nato commander in Afghanistan |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The US general charged with winding down Nato's war in Afghanistan after more than a decade of fighting took command of all foreign forces in the country on Sunday. | |
| General Joseph Dunford's first challenge will be to speed up the final transfer of responsibility for security from western troops to the Afghan police and army, putting them in control across the country this spring, ahead of the original plan to complete the handover in late summer. | |
| "This insurgency will be defeated over time by the legitimate and well-trained Afghan forces that are emerging today, who are taking the field in full force this spring," said outgoing commander General John Allen, at a modest ceremony to mark the change in leadership. | "This insurgency will be defeated over time by the legitimate and well-trained Afghan forces that are emerging today, who are taking the field in full force this spring," said outgoing commander General John Allen, at a modest ceremony to mark the change in leadership. |
| "Afghan forces defending Afghan people, and enabling the government of this country to serve its citizens. This is victory, this is what winning looks like, and we should not shrink from using these words." | "Afghan forces defending Afghan people, and enabling the government of this country to serve its citizens. This is victory, this is what winning looks like, and we should not shrink from using these words." |
| That shift in control will help pave the way for all Nato forces to head home by the end of 2014, leaving Afghans to fight the Taliban alone. A small number of US soldiers may stay behind to train Afghanistan's military and to hunt down suspected al-Qaida members along the lawless border with Pakistan, but Washington has been explicit that they would not take on the domestic insurgency. | That shift in control will help pave the way for all Nato forces to head home by the end of 2014, leaving Afghans to fight the Taliban alone. A small number of US soldiers may stay behind to train Afghanistan's military and to hunt down suspected al-Qaida members along the lawless border with Pakistan, but Washington has been explicit that they would not take on the domestic insurgency. |
| Dunford is expected to be the last in more than a dozen Nato and US commanders of the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) since the Taliban were toppled in 2001. The hardline Islamist group then launched an insurgency that has lasted ever since. | Dunford is expected to be the last in more than a dozen Nato and US commanders of the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) since the Taliban were toppled in 2001. The hardline Islamist group then launched an insurgency that has lasted ever since. |
| Dunford has been friends for decades with Allen, who has been the longest-serving Nato commander in Afghanistan, spending nearly 19 months fighting a powerful insurgency and grappling with a string of diplomatic challenges. | Dunford has been friends for decades with Allen, who has been the longest-serving Nato commander in Afghanistan, spending nearly 19 months fighting a powerful insurgency and grappling with a string of diplomatic challenges. |
| Allen navigated an often a fractious relationship with the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, including disputes over detention centres and civilian casualties. He also resolved a serious fallout with Pakistan after a cross-border US airstrike killed at least two dozen Pakistani soldiers. | Allen navigated an often a fractious relationship with the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, including disputes over detention centres and civilian casualties. He also resolved a serious fallout with Pakistan after a cross-border US airstrike killed at least two dozen Pakistani soldiers. |
| Despite high levels of violence across much of Afghanistan, and precarious security even in areas where western nations risked soldiers' lives and lavished hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to help prop up the central government, Allen says he leaves more optimistic than he arrived, because of the growing strength of Afghan security forces. | Despite high levels of violence across much of Afghanistan, and precarious security even in areas where western nations risked soldiers' lives and lavished hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to help prop up the central government, Allen says he leaves more optimistic than he arrived, because of the growing strength of Afghan security forces. |
| "Frankly, looking back on that day … I did not have the sense of optimism that I have now as I stand here before you today. The optimism and the very real sense of knowing that we will be victorious," Allen said. "There can be no doubt that Afghanistan is investing in its own future. The cost is paid blood of their finest young warriors." | "Frankly, looking back on that day … I did not have the sense of optimism that I have now as I stand here before you today. The optimism and the very real sense of knowing that we will be victorious," Allen said. "There can be no doubt that Afghanistan is investing in its own future. The cost is paid blood of their finest young warriors." |
| The Afghan army still has very limited basic capabilities from bomb disposal to air transport and medical care, and it is grappling with problems from corruption to drug abuse and high dropout rates. Allen also conceded that it would be hard to define winning in a war that is expected to continue long after most foreign soldiers are back on home soil. | The Afghan army still has very limited basic capabilities from bomb disposal to air transport and medical care, and it is grappling with problems from corruption to drug abuse and high dropout rates. Allen also conceded that it would be hard to define winning in a war that is expected to continue long after most foreign soldiers are back on home soil. |
| "Our victory here may never be marked by a parade or a point in time on a calendar when victory is declared," Allen said, in a few sentences of advice to his successor. | "Our victory here may never be marked by a parade or a point in time on a calendar when victory is declared," Allen said, in a few sentences of advice to his successor. |
| Dunford, a Boston native who served in Iraq and has degrees in international relations and development that could prove useful in Kabul, paid tribute to Allen when he addressed the small audience of senior officers and top diplomats gathered in the gym of the main Nato base in Kabul. | Dunford, a Boston native who served in Iraq and has degrees in international relations and development that could prove useful in Kabul, paid tribute to Allen when he addressed the small audience of senior officers and top diplomats gathered in the gym of the main Nato base in Kabul. |
| Security was so tight that rows of seats were left empty. | Security was so tight that rows of seats were left empty. |
| "Today is not about change, it's about continuity," Dunford said. "I'll endeavour to continue the momentum of the campaign and support the people of Afghanistan as they seize the opportunity for a brighter future." | "Today is not about change, it's about continuity," Dunford said. "I'll endeavour to continue the momentum of the campaign and support the people of Afghanistan as they seize the opportunity for a brighter future." |
| His new job offers the prestige of commanding tens of thousands of troops, but has also earned something of a reputation as a poisoned chalice in Kabul. | His new job offers the prestige of commanding tens of thousands of troops, but has also earned something of a reputation as a poisoned chalice in Kabul. |
| Two of his last four predecessors were fired. The seeds of destruction for the career of a third, General David Petraeus, appear to have been laid in Afghanistan, where a close friendship with the woman who would later became his lover first flourished. | Two of his last four predecessors were fired. The seeds of destruction for the career of a third, General David Petraeus, appear to have been laid in Afghanistan, where a close friendship with the woman who would later became his lover first flourished. |
| The British general who commanded the Afghanistan mission in 2006, David Richards, went on to become chief of the defence staff, the highest position in the UK military. But even his time in Kabul was not entirely unclouded by scandal, after his personal interpreter was convicted of trying to spy for Iran. | The British general who commanded the Afghanistan mission in 2006, David Richards, went on to become chief of the defence staff, the highest position in the UK military. But even his time in Kabul was not entirely unclouded by scandal, after his personal interpreter was convicted of trying to spy for Iran. |
| At one point it appeared Allen might become embroiled in the scandal which brought down Petraeus, but he was cleared by a Pentagon investigation and is expected to shortly become Nato's supreme commander in Europe. | At one point it appeared Allen might become embroiled in the scandal which brought down Petraeus, but he was cleared by a Pentagon investigation and is expected to shortly become Nato's supreme commander in Europe. |