Despite headlines proclaiming heavy civilian losses and recriminations from Afghan President Hamid Karzai following air strikes in Afghanistan recently, International Security Assistance Forces spokesmen say local Afghani leaders are actively turning against the Taliban. Local officials in the Helmand Province met with ISAF and Afghan National Army officials to discuss the air strikes; it was the local officials who explained to residents that the Taliban were at fault for using civilians as shields. In another province, local officials booted Taliban fighters and sought a meeting with ISAF officials to discuss the way forward.
Control of the skies in Operation Epic Fury is enabling the Pentagon to rely more on satellite- and laser-guided bombs, throttle back on expensive long-range standoff munitions, and move to a new phase of air war, defense officials said on March 4. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen.…