NATO: Afghans to Take Lead in Majority of Country NATO's top military commander says he expects Afghan forces will soon start taking charge of security for three-quarters of the nation's 28 million people. In an interview Wednesday, Adm. James Stavridis did not elaborate on the timing but said the training of the Afghan army and police was proceeding very well, despite a rising number of attacks in which Afghan forces have turned their weapons on their U.S. and NATO partners. Stavridis says the target of over 350,000 security forces members will be achieved this summer, several months ahead of plans. The Afghan army and police have already assumed lead responsibility in large areas of the country, encompassing about half of the country's population.