VoA News: In a semi-annual report published Tuesday, the Pentagon also acknowledged that efforts to build up the Afghan government and promote economic development are lagging behind security progress.
The report, required by the U.S. Congress, said there was still much work to be done to convince the Afghan people to support their government rather than the insurgents.
The top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan, General David Petraeus, said Tuesday Afghan forces are showing signs they will be ready to take over security responsibilities in 2014.
Earlier Tuesday, Afghan President Hamid Karzai accused NATO of providing Afghan forces with “insufficient equipment” and threatened to seek military supplies from other sources.
Mr. Karzai said Afghan forces need more help if they are to take full control of the country’s security by the 2014 deadline officially endorsed by NATO members at a summit in Portugal last week.