Exclusive: Obama approves broader role for U.S. forces in AfghanistanWASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama has approved giving the U.S. military greater ability to accompany and enable Afghan forces battling a resilient Taliban insurgency, in a move to assist them more proactively on the battlefield, a U.S. official told Reuters.  The senior U.S. defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the decision would also allow greater use of U.S. air power, particularly close air support. However, the official cautioned: “This is not a blanket order to target the Taliban.” Obama’s decision again redefines America’s support role in  Afghanistan’s grinding conflict, more than a year after international forces wrapped up their combat mission and shifted the burden to Afghan troops. It also comes ahead of Obama’s eagerly anticipated decision on whether to forge ahead with a scheduled reduction in the numbers of U.S. troops from about 9,800 currently to 5,500 by the start of 2017. A group of retired generals and senior diplomats urged Obama last week to forgo those plans, warning they could undermine the fight against the Afghan Taliban, whose leader was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan last month. Under the new policy, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, General John Nicholson, will be able to decide when it is appropriate for American troops to accompany conventional Afghan forces into the field - something they have so far only been doing with Afghan special forces, the official said. The expanded powers are only meant to be employed “in those select instances in which their engagement can enable strategic effects on the battlefield,” the official said. That means that U.S. forces should not be expected to accompany Afghan soldiers on day-to-day missions. “This added flexibility ... is fully supported by the Afghan government and will help the Afghans at an important moment for the country,” the official said. The decision is a departure from current U.S. rules of engagement in Afghanistan, which impose limits on U.S. forces’ ability to strike at insurgents. For example, the U.S. military was previously allowed to take action against the Taliban “in extremis” - moments when their assistance was needed to prevent a significant Afghan military setback. That definition, however, left the U.S. military postured to assist them in more defensive instances. The new policy would allow U.S. forces to accompany Afghans at key moments in their  offensive campaign against the Taliban. “The U.S. forces will more proactively support Afghan conventional forces,” the official said. The Taliban control or contest more territory in Afghanistan than at any time since they were ousted by a U.S.-backed intervention in late 2001, and U.S. officials have acknowledged the uneven performance of Afghan security forces. Large portions of Afghanistan, including the provincial capital of northern Kunduz and multiple districts of southern Helmand province, have fallen, at times briefly, to the Taliban over the past year-and-a-half. Many other districts and provinces are also under varying degrees of Taliban control. The new authorities that Obama has given the U.S. military could give it greater leeway in addressing the shortcomings of Afghan security forces. Still, experts warn that its hard to predict when Afghanistan will be able to stand on its own against the Taliban, not to mention the country’s enormous economic difficulties and fractious political system. The U.S government’s top watchdog on Afghanistan told Reuters that the United States had wasted billions of dollars in reconstruction aid to Afghanistan over the past decade, and now a renewed Taliban insurgency was threatening the gains that had been made. politicsNews
exclusive obama approves broader role forces afghanistanwashington reuters president barack obama approved giving military greater ability accompany enable afghan forces battling resilient taliban insurgency move assist proactive battlefield official told reuters the senior defense official spoke condition anonymity said decision would also allow greater use air power particularly close air support however official cautioned this blanket order target obama decision redefined america support role afghanistan grinding conflict year international forces wrapped combat mission shifted burden afghan troops it also comes ahead obama eagerly anticipated decision whether forge ahead scheduled reduction numbers troops currently start a group retired generals senior diplomats urged obama last week forgo plans warning could undermine fight afghan taliban whose leader killed drone strike pakistan last month under new policy commander afghanistan general john nichols able decide appropriate american troops accompany conventional afghan forces field something far afghan special forces official said the expanded powers meant employed select instances engagement enable strategic effects battlefield official said that means forces expected accompany afghan soldiers missions this added flexibility fully supported afghan government help afghan important moment country official said the decision departure current rules engagement afghanistan impose limits forces ability strike insurgents for example military previously allowed take action taliban extremes moments assistance needed prevent significant afghan military setback that definition however left military posture assist defensive instances the new policy would allow forces accompany afghan key moments offensive campaign taliban the forces proactive support afghan conventional forces official said the taliban control contest territory afghanistan time since ousted intervention late officials acknowledged uneven performance afghan security forces large portions afghanistan including provincial capital northern undue multiple districts southern demand province fallen times briefly taliban past many districts provinces also varying degrees taliban control the new authorities obama given military could give greater leeway addressing shortcomings afghan security forces still experts warn hard predict afghanistan able stand taliban mention country enormous economic difficulties fractions political system the government top watchdog afghanistan told reuters united states wasted billions dollars reconstruction aid afghanistan past decade renewed taliban insurgency threatening gains made politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Exclusive: Obama approves broader role for U.S. forces in AfghanistanWASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama has approved giving the U.S. military greater ability to accompany and enable Afghan forces battling a resilient Taliban insurgency, in a move to assist them more proactively on the battlefield, a U.S. official told Reuters.  The senior U.S. defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the decision would also allow greater use of U.S. air power, particularly close air support. However, the official cautioned: “This is not a blanket order to target the Taliban.” Obama’s decision again redefines America’s support role in  Afghanistan’s grinding conflict, more than a year after international forces wrapped up their combat mission and shifted the burden to Afghan troops. It also comes ahead of Obama’s eagerly anticipated decision on whether to forge ahead with a scheduled reduction in the numbers of U.S. troops from about 9,800 currently to 5,500 by the start of 2017. A group of retired generals and senior diplomats urged Obama last week to forgo those plans, warning they could undermine the fight against the Afghan Taliban, whose leader was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan last month. Under the new policy, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, General John Nicholson, will be able to decide when it is appropriate for American troops to accompany conventional Afghan forces into the field - something they have so far only been doing with Afghan special forces, the official said. The expanded powers are only meant to be employed “in those select instances in which their engagement can enable strategic effects on the battlefield,” the official said. That means that U.S. forces should not be expected to accompany Afghan soldiers on day-to-day missions. “This added flexibility ... is fully supported by the Afghan government and will help the Afghans at an important moment for the country,” the official said. The decision is a departure from current U.S. rules of engagement in Afghanistan, which impose limits on U.S. forces’ ability to strike at insurgents. For example, the U.S. military was previously allowed to take action against the Taliban “in extremis” - moments when their assistance was needed to prevent a significant Afghan military setback. That definition, however, left the U.S. military postured to assist them in more defensive instances. The new policy would allow U.S. forces to accompany Afghans at key moments in their  offensive campaign against the Taliban. “The U.S. forces will more proactively support Afghan conventional forces,” the official said. The Taliban control or contest more territory in Afghanistan than at any time since they were ousted by a U.S.-backed intervention in late 2001, and U.S. officials have acknowledged the uneven performance of Afghan security forces. Large portions of Afghanistan, including the provincial capital of northern Kunduz and multiple districts of southern Helmand province, have fallen, at times briefly, to the Taliban over the past year-and-a-half. Many other districts and provinces are also under varying degrees of Taliban control. The new authorities that Obama has given the U.S. military could give it greater leeway in addressing the shortcomings of Afghan security forces. Still, experts warn that its hard to predict when Afghanistan will be able to stand on its own against the Taliban, not to mention the country’s enormous economic difficulties and fractious political system. The U.S government’s top watchdog on Afghanistan told Reuters that the United States had wasted billions of dollars in reconstruction aid to Afghanistan over the past decade, and now a renewed Taliban insurgency was threatening the gains that had been made. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: exclusive obama approves broader role forces afghanistanwashington reuters president barack obama approved giving military greater ability accompany enable afghan forces battling resilient taliban insurgency move assist proactive battlefield official told reuters the senior defense official spoke condition anonymity said decision would also allow greater use air power particularly close air support however official cautioned this blanket order target obama decision redefined america support role afghanistan grinding conflict year international forces wrapped combat mission shifted burden afghan troops it also comes ahead obama eagerly anticipated decision whether forge ahead scheduled reduction numbers troops currently start a group retired generals senior diplomats urged obama last week forgo plans warning could undermine fight afghan taliban whose leader killed drone strike pakistan last month under new policy commander afghanistan general john nichols able decide appropriate american troops accompany conventional afghan forces field something far afghan special forces official said the expanded powers meant employed select instances engagement enable strategic effects battlefield official said that means forces expected accompany afghan soldiers missions this added flexibility fully supported afghan government help afghan important moment country official said the decision departure current rules engagement afghanistan impose limits forces ability strike insurgents for example military previously allowed take action taliban extremes moments assistance needed prevent significant afghan military setback that definition however left military posture assist defensive instances the new policy would allow forces accompany afghan key moments offensive campaign taliban the forces proactive support afghan conventional forces official said the taliban control contest territory afghanistan time since ousted intervention late officials acknowledged uneven performance afghan security forces large portions afghanistan including provincial capital northern undue multiple districts southern demand province fallen times briefly taliban past many districts provinces also varying degrees taliban control the new authorities obama given military could give greater leeway addressing shortcomings afghan security forces still experts warn hard predict afghanistan able stand taliban mention country enormous economic difficulties fractions political system the government top watchdog afghanistan told reuters united states wasted billions dollars reconstruction aid afghanistan past decade renewed taliban insurgency threatening gains made politicsnews