'A long timetable'

Interview | U.S. soldier Scott Gurley on the stark challenges for the U.S./NATO mission in Afghanistan—and some of its untold successes | Priya Abraham

Sgt. Scott Gurley is a 27-year-old communications specialist with the Florida National Guard and has been deployed a year at Camp Phoenix just outside of Kabul. He is due to return home this summer. During his time he has maintained a blog for the Orlando Sentinel and written articles for the camp's weekly. He answered WORLD's questions about the U.S. and coalition mission, Afghanistan's future, and his personal experiences with locals.

WORLD: How important a role do our NATO allies play and how is it helpful and challenging to work with them?

GURLEY: NATO is responsible for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which is equally as important as that of the U.S. military. In Kabul French soldiers are responsible for training the officers of the Afghan National Army, while our military trains the enlisted soldiers. Camp Phoenix is U.S.-run but the United States only patrols a portion of the city, while neighboring sectors may be under charge of the U.K. or Germany.