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 U.S. thwarted a drone attack on U.S. forces at Al Asad air base in western Iraq on April 22, marking the first time that American troops have been targeted since February, U.S. officials said. “We can confirm it was an attack on Al Asad,” a defense official told Air & Space…