New U.S. commander in Afghanistan says we're going on offense against the Taliban - NBC News

KABUL, Afghanistan — When Gen. Scott Miller took over the war in Afghanistan on Sept. 2, Afghan soldiers were being killed and wounded at near record numbers.

He instituted a more aggressive policy of helping the Afghan military track and defeat the Taliban — what he calls "regaining the tactical initiative" — but in an exclusive interview with NBC News on Tuesday, his first since taking command of U.S. and coalition forces here, he also says he recognizes that the solution in Afghanistan will be political, not military.

"This is not going to be won militarily," Miller said. "This is going to a political solution."

"My assessment is the Taliban also realizes they cannot win militarily. So if you realize you can't win militarily at some point, fighting is just, people start asking why. So you do not necessarily wait us out, but I think now is the time to start working through the political piece of this conflict."

Speaking from the Resolute Support headquarters building in Kabul, Miller said he knew early on that he needed to turn the tables on the Taliban and go after them.

In 2018, Afghanistan's capital Kabul has had 19 high-profile suicide attacks, Miller said. He added that ISIS Khorasan, or ISIS-K, the Afghan affiliate of the terror group, has also been attacking and has "resonance" in urban areas.

"ISIS-K, they're dangerous. They have external aspirations, they have different capabilities, and they are connected outside of Afghanistan," he said.

Miller said ISIS-K fighters are more educated and are trying to set up their own state in Afghanistan. "That's part of the playbook is to build up those administrative functions." - Read More

New US commander in Afghanistan says we're going on ... - NBC News