Is Kunduz the Beginning of the End for Afghanistan?

America's deadly hospital strike points up how hard it's going to be to keep control from the air.

A week ago, Kunduz, a provincial capital of 300,000 in northern Afghanistan, was not considered of particular strategic importance in the war against the Taliban. The Afghan government's focus has been primarily on the fight in river valleys of southern Afghanistan to protect Kandahar, and in the mountain passes of eastern Afghanistan to protect Jalalabad.

But the fall of Kunduz to the Taliban for two days last week—and the struggle that may still be underway continuing for control of the city—marks a new phase in the war and a critical test for the effort by the United States and NATO to leave the bulk of the fighting to Afghan security forces....

Continue reading: http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/10/is-kunduz-the-beginning-of-the-end-for-afghanistan-213219#ixzz3nhytbVKC