White House Nominates New Commander For Afghanistan

Amid concerns about setbacks in the fight against the Taliban in Afghanistan, the White House has nominated a new commander of international forces in the country.

Lt. Gen. John "Mick" Nicholson, now a top NATO officer in Turkey, has been chosen to take over from the current commander, Gen. John Campbell.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter issued a statement calling Nicholson an accomplished soldier:

"I am confident that Gen. Nicholson will build upon Gen. Campbell's hard work to secure a bright future for the Afghan people and help the government of Afghanistan strengthen a professional and capable security partner."

NPR's Tom Bowman reports that if Nicholson's appointment is confirmed by Congress, he'll face a resurgent Taliban. Tom says this could mean "more American soldiers closer to the front lines when the fighting begins in the spring, and more American airstrikes" to support Afghan government forces.