President Barack Obama has quietly approved
guidelines in recent weeks to allow the Pentagon to target Taliban
fighters in Afghanistan, broadening previous plans that had limited the
military to counterterrorism missions against al-Qaida after this year,
U.S. officials said late Friday.
The president's decisions also allow the military to conduct air
support for Afghan operations when needed. Obama issued the guidelines
in recent weeks, as the American combat mission in Afghanistan draws to a
close, thousands of troops return home, and the military prepares for
narrower counterterrorism and training mission for the next two years.
(AP)