The situation in Afghanistan was “fundamentally different” in 2015 than it was previously, and while the coalition has come a long way, many challenges remain, the outgoing commander of the US-led coalition told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday. “Now more than ever, the United States should not waiver on Afghanistan. The crucial investment we are making provides dividends that achieve our strategic goals, secure our homeland, and position us well in a region… that’s been a source of terrorism and instability for decades,” Army Gen. John Campbell said. Afghanistan is at an inflection point, Campbell said, if the US does not make “deliberate, measured adjustments,” 2016 could be “no better, and possibly worse than 2015.” Army Lt. Gen. John Nicholson has been nominated to replace Campbell, who took command of the International Security Assistance Force and US Forces-Afghanistan in August 2014. The committee voted Feb. 4 to approve Nicholson’s nomination.
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
