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Kandahar Called Key to Afghanistan Victory

Posted: 10:18 AM Jul 5, 2010
Reporter: Scattered Press

Sen. John McCain says the key to winning the war in Afghanistan will be found in the Taliban stronghold of Kandahar. He says securing and bolstering the government there will bring victory in the overall war effort.

But the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee warned that there's tough fighting ahead and he predicted a spike in casualties.

McCain visited Afghanistan's largest city in the south today with two other U.S. lawmakers.

Speaking in Kabul, McCain again said he opposed President Barack Obama's plan to begin withdrawing troops from Afghanistan in one year.

The senator says he expects progress to be made in the next year, but he says the U.S. shouldn't tell the enemy when it will be leaving before the job is done.

Obama has said that large numbers of troops won't be pulled out if conditions aren't right.