Anticipating the arrival of 3,200 Marines set to reinforce 2,500 Canadian troops already deployed in his southern province, Afghan official Ahmed Wali Karzai told the Los Angeles Times: “The Canadians are fine, but Americans are Americans — the mentality is different. The Americans are very professional. They go in; they get out. It’s just like you see in the movies.”
Due to a minimalist approach to committing military forces, the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan has been unable to transform an overwhelming military victory in 2001 into a stable postwar political situation. The upcoming increase in troop levels in Afghanistan is a key component to revitalizing U.S. efforts in Afghanistan.