U.S. Marines begin handing bases over to Afghan army

NAWA, Afghanistan - U.S. Marines have begun handing over some of their small bases to the Afghan army in this once-volatile district in the southwest, a transition that military commanders intend to cite as proof that the Obama administration's escalation and counterinsurgency strategy are succeeding.

The transfer, which calls for most Marines to withdraw from populated parts of Nawa and consolidate in a series of desert bases by the spring, would allow the number of U.S. troops in the district, now about 1,000, to be reduced by next summer.

Senior Marine officers said insurgent attacks in Nawa have declined and the capacity of the Afghan army to operate independently has increased.

But the Marine plan still envisages a significant U.S. military presence in the desert and in the district's main town to provide emergency backup to Afghan soldiers, mentor the fledgling police force and interdict insurgents seeking to enter the area.

Marine Maj. Gen. Richard P. Mills, the top U.S. and NATO commander in southwestern Afghanistan, said he is planning a "thinning out, as opposed to an exit," to maintain the ability "to respond to prevent catastrophic failure."

The situation in Nawa suggests that the handover might lead to the same kinds of differing interpretations that have clouded recent reports of progress in the war, particularly the killing of insurgent commanders by coalition commandos and the talks between a few senior Taliban leaders and members of the Afghan government.

Military officials have hailed both as important steps forward.

The Marines' assessment that they are needed in Nawa beyond next summer, the two-year mark for U.S. forces in the district, could influence a White House review of the war set for December.

Officials said military leaders had promised the White House late last year that it would be possible to transfer areas to Afghan security forces after 18 to 24 months of counterinsurgency operations.