By Jonathon Burch
KABUL | Tue Jan 25, 2011 12:29pm EST
KABUL (Reuters) - Foreign military assertions that security in Afghanistan is improving are intended to sway Western public opinion ahead of a troop withdrawal and do not reflect the reality on the ground, a security advice group said.
"Indisputable evidence" that conditions are deteriorating included a two-thirds rise in insurgent attacks in 2010 compared with the previous year, according to the EU-funded organization, that advises aid groups on safety...
...A war review by U.S. President Barack Obama last month said "notable operational gains" had been made and the Taliban's momentum arrested in much of the country and reversed in some areas, but gains were fragile and reversible...
"...No matter how authoritative the source of any such claim, messages of this nature are solely intended to influence American and European public opinion ahead of the withdrawal," the group said in its quarterly report, designed to help aid groups make decisions involving security.
"THIRTY-THREE ATTACKS A DAY"
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE70O3FZ20110125?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FworldNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+International%29Dear SOS Clinton and President Obama:
Your democracy is killing us
The People of Afghanistan