Obama war review: Taliban, al-Qaida diminished

Article

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama's expansion of the war in Afghanistan has eroded the power of the al-Qaida terrorists who attacked America in 2001 and the resurgent Taliban militants who gave them cover, according to his own government's review. The findings ensure that Obama will stay the course, with U.S. forces to remain at war through 2014.

The most promising conclusions are that the senior leadership of al-Qaida in Pakistan is at it weakest since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks — and that the Taliban, a constant source of violence and instability in Afghanistan, has seen much of its power halted and reversed over the last 12 months.

Okay, but correct me if im wrong here. Hasnt 2010 been the deadliest year in Afghanistan? The article even says it has been the worst.

This year has been the deadliest in the war for U.S. forces. At least 480 American troops have been killed in 2010, and more than 2,100 have died since the conflict began in the weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001.

I dont really understand how the Taliban can be "diminished". They may have been pushed back in the southern areas, but have came back in the north, west and east.....

Article 2

Kabul, Afghanistan— One year after President Barack Obama ordered a troop buildup to halt the Taliban's momentum, the war in Afghanistan has not broken decisively in favor of U.S.-led forces — at least not yet.

While NATO forces have routed insurgents from their strongholds in southern Afghanistan, the Taliban's strongest region, the militants have opened new fronts in the north and west and have stepped up attacks in the east.

I think that the US is starting to call it quits, start to pull out before it gets worse.