Afghan, U.S. forces face growing insecurity in key province | McClatchy: "While the U.S. military has focused on the Taliban's southern strongholds, the militants and allied groups have been gaining ground in the north. The difficulties in Baghlan are emblematic of the uphill battle the United States and its allies face in trying to stabilize Afghanistan enough to begin drawing down troops next year.
The smaller NATO units that operate in the north are under restrictions driven by opposition to the war at home.
'Insurgency is a naturally lazy animal,' said an ISAF intelligence official who spoke only on the condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak publicly. 'Like water and electricity, it goes wherever there are the least amounts of resistance.'
U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus, the commander of the American-led force in Afghanistan, predicted last week that 'we can be increasingly effective' in the north with intensified counterinsurgency efforts, including stepped-up training of Afghan security forces.
The insurgents' numbers, however, are growing. Chaos, fraud, corruption and joblessness help their recruiting."
