The US is faring poorly in the Afghan war, with large areas of the country on the verge of falling to the Taliban, according to the latest National Intelligence Estimates on Afghanistan and Pakistan. The classified reports, which represent the collective wisdom of a dozen intelligence agencies, also say that Pakistan continues to support Taliban troops in its tribal areas, officials who’ve been briefed tell the LA Times.
The assessments contradict more optimistic reports from the White House and the military. Military officers say they’re “dated” because the review period ended in September. “You are missing at least 2½ months of intensive operations,” says one senior defense official, adding that intelligence officers lacked the “proximity and perspective” of troops. But a senior intelligence official called that argument “preposterous,” noting that the reports include data from Pentagon intelligence agencies. (More National Intelligence Estimate stories.)
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
