As Gen. John Campbell outlined concerns that the 2016 withdrawal date may be too optimistic, an official Pentagon report cited numerous inroads that indicate steady progress toward a successful conclusion to the combat mission in Afghanistan. Among them:
* Between April 1 and Sept. 30, the U.S. and Afghanistan agreed on a bilateral security agreement.
* NATO and the Afghan government agreed on a status-of-forces agreement.
* Afghanistan swore in a new president, Ashraf Ghani, and a new chief executive officer, Abdullah Abdullah.
* Afghan security forces demonstrated a commitment and resolve to carry out the fight against the Taliban independently. Though the enemy has fought tenaciously, they have been unable to capture and hold any positions for significant lengths of time.
* The U.S. will continue to train and advise Afghan forces through 2015.
