Just to come back. The support given up to yesterday by the coalition air strikes gave the irregular forces a chance to advance and gain advantage. It was clear that the air strikes were the major factor that allowed this advance. Withdraw this advantage and basically the advance was stuffed. Has the approach changed since NATO took responsibility answer YES. As usual involve NATO and the expected committee factor and then any chance of a swift conclusion is again stuffed.*
Having myself been involved in a enterprise under NATO when politically delicate, indecision and a inability to do the needful ended in failure. Hence my rather biased comments.