Afghanistan progress

Despite ongoing rhetoric to the contrary, there is a mountain of evidence clearly demonstrating that a majority of Afghans want the coalition troops in their country. Despite msm highlighting the despots in Afghanistan hell bent on rooting out the 'evil invader', the truth has shown that the Afghan people understand and support the efforts made by the allies in setting Afghanistan into the future. A while back a poll that CBC did in Afghanistan, confirmed what we already knew.

Now another poll, commissioned and reported on by the BBC, (!) confirms earlier reports showing the Afghan people are optimistic about their futures.

Afghans more optimistic for future, survey shows

By Adam Mynott
BBC World Affairs Correspondent

Most Afghans are increasingly optimistic about the state of their country, a poll commissioned by the BBC, ABC News and Germany's ARD shows.

Of more than 1,500 Afghans questioned, 70% said they believed Afghanistan was going in the right direction - a big jump from 40% a year ago.

Of those questioned, 68% now back the presence of US troops in Afghanistan, compared with 63% a year ago.

For Nato troops, including UK forces, support has risen from 59% to 62%.

The survey was conducted in all of the country's 34 provinces in December 2009.

In 2009 only 51% of those surveyed had expected improvement and 13% thought conditions would deteriorate.

But in the latest survey 71% said they were optimistic about the situation in 12 months' time, compared with 5% who said it would be worse.

The other significant theme which emerges from the figures is growing antipathy towards the Taliban....

Go read the rest here.

Then there is this:

McChrystal: Tide is turning in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan, Jan. 11 (UPI) -- U.S. Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, said Taliban forces in Afghanistan are struggling following a U.S. troop surge.

McChrystal said he believes the Taliban's momentum in Afghanistan was impeded by the recent troop surge and U.S. forces are slowly gaining the trust of the Afghan people, ABC reported Monday following an exclusive interview.

"I believe we're doing that now. I believe that we have changed the way we operate in Afghanistan. We changed some of our structures and I believe that we are on the way to convincing the Afghan people that we are here to protect them," McChrystal said.

The infusion of nearly 30,000 additional U.S. troops into Afghanistan is currently under way and despite apparent successes, McChrystal warns the international mission in the war-torn country is not yet over.

"We've been at this for about seven months now and I believe we've made progress. It's not a completed mission yet," the general told "World News" anchor Diane Sawyer.(source)

No commentary needed from me!