The Real Enemy

Joao Silva / The New York Times / Redux

Reality check: A British soldier screens men entering a market in Helmand province in the south

As NATO's member nations convene in Bucharest, Romania, to discuss the state of the alliance, Afghanistan will be at the top of the agenda. General Dan McNeil, commander of the alliance's 43,250 soldiers in Afghanistan, has lobbied for another troop surge to help battle the rising insurgency in the country's south. But lower-level commanders on the ground have something else to add to that wish list. Says one: "Frankly, defeating the Taliban is the least of our worries. They are not going to beat us. What is killing this country is corruption and drugs. That is not for NATO...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!