U.S. forces in Afghanistan have a new commander

KABUL, Afghanistan - Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. took over Sunday as probably the last U.S. commander in Afghanistan with the job of ending America's longest war as insurgents continue to challenge the U.S.-backed Afghan government.

Dunford, a four-star Marine officer, arrives as the U.S.-led NATO coalition has dismantled three-quarters of its 800 bases and watches to see whether the Afghan security forces it trained can keep the Taliban insurgency at bay.

A ceremony in the coalition's compound in Kabul marked the end of the 19-month tenure of Gen. John R. Allen, whose command was marred by a rash of attacks by Afghan forces against their U.S. and NATO trainers and strained relations with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

In remarks tinged with emotion Sunday, Allen pointed to significant progress, including the growth of the Afghan security forces, an increase in Afghan-led military operations, a sharp reduction in civilian casualties, and the withdrawal of about 35,000 U.S. troops.

"This is victory," Allen said. "This is what winning looks like, and we should not shrink from using those words."

By replacing Allen with Dunford, the respected but low-key assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, President Obama hopes to repair relations with Karzai, to ensure a long-term security deal under which several thousand U.S. troops remain in Afghanistan beyond the withdrawal of combat forces next year.

Embracing Allen at the ceremony, Dunford stressed continuity in the mission. "What's not changed is the will of this coalition," he said. "What's not changed is the growing capability of our Afghan partners."

Obama is expected to spell out plans soon for the troop withdrawal and a post-2014 U.S. military presence in Afghanistan.

Dunford will have a key seat at the table as U.S. officials try to negotiate the security agreement.

About 65,000 U.S. troops remain in Afghanistan. U.S. officials recently estimated that a residual American force could number from 6,000 to 9,000 troops - fewer than the 15,000 senior military commanders had wanted. Experts say Dunford will be charged with figuring out how such a force could achieve U.S. strategic aims.