The administration now allows American commanders to carry out airstrikes that are not strictly defensive, freeing them up to drop three times as many bombs and missiles as last year, the New York Times reports. The Obama administration restricted U.S. forces to defensive strikes with the purpose of protecting Afghan forces, and with their hands untied this year, commanders have taken advantage of the policy change.
"These new authorities give me the ability to go after the enemy in ways that I couldn’t before," top American commander in Afghanistan Gen. John W. Nicholson Jr. said after ordering operation Jagged Knife last month.
The offensive operations have targeted Taliban drug production, which is critical to the terrorist organization's economic stability. U.S. forces have also targeted ISIS's oil tankers and other assets.
"We’re hitting the Taliban where it hurts, which is their finances," Nicholson said.
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