From Karen DeYoung, the Washington Post:  With war fatigue growing and an election looming, the Obama administration has bumpily embarked on its endgame in Afghanistan.

From James Kirkup, the Telegraph:  Defence sources have revealed that the Americans only relented and allowed a Royal Navy frigate to join the mission following an intervention from Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president.

From Elisabeth Bumiller, the New York Times:  The top NATO official said Thursday that NATO forces in Afghanistan would move gradually from a combat to support role by 2014, but that combat would continue during that period and that NATO remaine

From David Alexander, Reuters:  The NATO meeting in Brussels on Thursday and Friday comes a week after [Defense Secretary Leon] Panetta previewed a defense budget that calls for slashing American force numbers in Europe, part of a new U.S. military strategy that puts Asia and the Middle East as top priorities with Europe a lowly third.

From Dan de Luce, AFP:  France's decision to withdraw combat troops from Afghanistan a year earlier than planned deals a blow to the US-led war effort and threatens to trigger a "rush to the exits" by other NATO members, experts said Monday.

From Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service:  I think we’ve turned around the strategy in Afghanistan,” she [Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Michelle Flournoy] continued. “I think there has been a lot of progress there. For the first time in five years, violence is down in Afghanistan.”

From the Editors of the Wall Street Journal:  French troops have proved their mettle against every adversary. Too bad their civilian masters don't always share the soldierly courage.

From Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO:  First of all, let me stress that obviously I understand very well that recent events, where French soldiers were killed, have created a lot of concern in France.