New Afghan President Improves Ties With U.S.-Led Forces --- KABUL—Afghanistan’s new president has embraced tight cooperation with the U.S.-led coalition and Afghan forces, and is preparing to remove some restrictions his predecessor imposed on military operations against the Taliban, the coalition’s commander said. -- Immediately after Ashraf Ghani assumed office on Sept. 29, his government signed two security pacts that paved the way for U.S. and allied troops to stay in Afghanistan after the end of this year. Since then, Mr. Ghani continued to engage closely with the coalition’s military leadership as he made security a top priority. -- “They have a new president now that embraces the international community, that doesn’t lambaste you but says: ‘We are very thankful for your sacrifices. We are very thankful for what you helped provide for Afghanistan,’ ” U.S. Army Gen. John Campbell, the commander of U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan, said in an interview. “That’s a huge difference.” -- The new Afghan president regularly meets Gen. Campbell and often invites him to his residence for long, impromptu discussions—something that didn’t happen under his predecessor, Hamid Karzai, who became increasingly hostile to the U.S. and allies in his final years in power. In another break from the past, Gen. Campbell has been attending meetings of the Afghan National Security Council. -- With input from the foreign military, Mr. Ghani is assessing the leadership structure and capabilities of Afghanistan’s own armed forces, which last year took over responsibility for most of the fighting from foreign troops. In a bid to make their operations more effective, he is preparing to reduce restrictions imposed by Mr. Karzai on their ability to carry out night raids and to use heavy weapons in residential areas, U.S. and Afghan military officials said. -- “Since about 2009, the security forces in some instances almost had handcuffs on them because of some of the policies that Karzai had,” said Gen. Campbell, welcoming Mr. Ghani’s planned changes. -- A senior Afghan defense official said he was aware the government was reviewing these restrictions and that they would likely be lifted. -- Mr. Karzai, brought to power with U.S. help in 2001, showed increasing suspicion of his foreign allies’ motives and repeatedly lashed out at the coalition for causing civilian casualties. -- Mr. Karzai, who released hundreds of Taliban prisoners, was also ambivalent toward Afghan armed forces, which he saw as too close to the West, and pressed for a ban on night raids and airstrikes. Mr. Karzai often said the U.S. and allies were fighting the wrong war and that there was no reason to conduct military operations in the Afghan countryside. -- Under the security pacts Mr. Ghani’s government signed—and which Mr. Karzai had refused to accept—some 12,500 U.S. and allied troops will stay in Afghanistan to focus on training Afghan forces and on counterterrorism. These deals are tied to financial aid the Afghan government needs to survive. --- “Over the past four, five years this relation [with the West] was suffering. It was not where we wanted it to be,” said Hamidullah Farooqi, a senior adviser to Mr. Ghani. The new Afghan leader “completely understands that our security and our security forces depend on the help international community…even if he doesn’t want to depend on them forever,” he added. --- The challenges Mr. Ghani faces, however, remain formidable. The international coalition is winding down its combat operations, leaving Afghan forces responsible for security even as the Taliban insurgency remains undefeated. --- The goal is to have a new government in place in time for a crucial conference with donor countries that will be held in London in early December. At this stage, members of both camps are questioning whether this is achievable. --- “It took us six months to figure out who would become president and CEO. Let’s hope it doesn’t take us another six months to figure out the ministers,” said an aide to Mr. Abdullah. -- Nazifullah Salarzai, Mr. Ghani’s spokesman, said the government is on track to appoint a new cabinet. -- Read More, WSJ, http://online.wsj.com/articles/new-afghan-president-improves-coordination-with-u-s-led-forces-1414949719