The school, which was built by US forces in 2002, was closed by the Taliban a few years later after Afghan security forces took responsibility for the area. Today it is a joint American and Afghan base – and the forward most point for coalition troops in Zhari, Kandahar – the spiritual birthplace of the Taliban.

As US and Afghan forces prepare to go out on patrol Monday morning, white kites fly over the city. The Taliban are signaling that coalition troops are on the move.

“They are waiting for us out there. They know we are coming,” says Lieutenant Cory Donohoo, a native of West Virginia.

The joint American and Afghan patrol sets out from the base with the hope of heading to a near by town for some face time with locals – a key part of the American strategy in Afghanistan

“Once we get into these fields,” explains Captain Nick Stout, the company commander. “This is their territory.”

The Taliban’s territory is a mixture of rocky canals, ten-foot tall mud walls, and dense fields of pomegranate and marijuana.

It is an area, the soldiers of the Alpha Company, 1-502 2^nd Brigade Combat Team, 101^st Airborne Division, are just getting to know after arriving earlier this summer.

But the insurgents know it well, and move around easily from building to building unimpeded.

Just a few minutes into the patrol, it is clear the Taliban are near and know the troops are approaching.

“Hey six, those pop shots are getting closer,” yells out one soldier.

Radio traffic also picks up the Taliban talking about an ambush.

As the patrol enters the large opening of the canal, villagers watch the advancing troops. The soldiers don’t know if they are there accidentally or part of a first warning system used by the Taliban.

Minutes later, gunfire erupts.

Insurgents have two US and Afghan squads pinned down along the waterway. It is a textbook “L” shaped ambush by an enemy that US commanders acknowledge are well disciplined and organized.

The battle rages for more than 30 minutes. With the Taliban firing rocket propelled grenades and a hail of bullets at coalition troops.

US and Afghan troops return fire as the ground shakes from the explosions of the grenades being thrown.

Ultimately, the fighting slows and the Taliban disappear as quickly as they arrived- filtering back into the maze of mud buildings and thick vegetation.

The scorching heat and intense battle forces the American and Afghan troops to return to the school after only advancing 400 meters from their base and without speaking to the villagers in the near by town.

Despite the meager progress, the advance represents the farthest US troops have pushed up the canal, and Captain Stout is encouraged.

“There is really no other way to do this.  You got to keep getting after it. Keep trying to hold what ground you gain. Over time that ground will expand.”

With the Taliban around seemingly every corner, progress for now in Zhari Kandahar is measured in just meters not milestones.

Gen. McChrystal has given only a few on the record interviews in the past year- so agreeing to do a profile piece with Rolling Stone was a shock to all of the journalists like myself who have been requesting time with him.

I know Michael Hastings, the author of the story a little bit – and consider him a friend. I know he was amazed that Gen McChrystal would open up as he did. But at the end of the day, Gen McChrystal said what he said and it doesnt matter the news outlet.

Being with the US military as this was all happening was fascinating. Every officer I spoke with told me that the strategy isn’t dependent on one man – and even with Gen McChrystal out the strategy stays the same. Megyn Kelly and I discuss it all here.

KABUL- NATO’s top civilian official delivered an optimistic assessment of the situation in Afghanistan Friday, telling NATO Defense Ministers the alliance had regained the initiative in the war torn country

(VIDEO OF MY LIVE WITH MEGYN KELLY HERE).

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told ministers that a plan to start handing over responsibility for security to Afghans “province by province” would soon be agreed upon.

However, Rasmussen’s optimism was tempered by U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

“Our effort is moving in the right direction but the road ahead will be long and hard,” Gates said. “I hope that by the end of year, we will be able to demonstrate that we are making progress throughout the country.”

Optimism in Afghanistan comes as the American and international military surge faces several key challenges.

On Thursday, U.S. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top NATO commander in Afghanistan, admitted that the upcoming operation in the Taliban stronghold of Kandahar would be pushed back several months because local Afghans are not fully cooperating with coalition forces.  And earlier successes in the central Helmand city of Marjah have disappeared as the Taliban has begun reasserting itself in the region.

Political goals have fallen well short of expectations as well.

Corruption remains rife and Afghanistan’s May parliamentarian elections were pushed back to September because of increasing violence and fears of ballot stuffing.

Only half of the Afghan cabinet has been approved by parliament and Afghan President Hamid Karzai recently fired the two top officials overseeing Afghanistan weak security apparatus – both of which were wildly considered by U.S. and western officials as competent and qualified.

Aid and military Resources are pouring into Afghanistan, and U.S. officials believe concrete signs of progress will be visible by the end of the year.

But one of the lone bright spots is the growing media and entertainment industry.

I first saw it during the August Presidential Election. There must have been a couple dozen Afghan news organizations at every event. And entertainment TV and radio are flourishing  – especially as more and more of the country gets electricity.

I’ve spoken to several photographers who say Afghanistan is the best place in the world to shoot. If that is true, expect more and more movies to be filmed here in the future – IF peace and stability ever take hold.

The US and Afghan military are preparing to enter -reclaim – Kandahar this summer. To say it’s an important operation is probably an understatement.

Kandahar is the spiritual home of the Taliban and by some estimates, more than 3/4 of the people there support the Taliban. Success or failure in Kandahar this summer will likely have a major impact on the overall outcome for the entire surge strategy in Afghanistan. But unlike Marjah or even operations in the rest of the country, Kandahar will be more political than military. NATO is hoping to convince very skeptical tribal elders to invite coalition troops into their communities.

My explanation for Bret Baier is here

I am expecting/ hoping to spend a lot of time there this summer. Right now its dodgy but journalists can still travel there. Hopefully that will remain the case.

Even as things deteriorate between the government and foreigners working in Afghanistan, I find the overwhelming majority Afghan people still very supportive of the international community.

Admittedly, I have a some what limited pool of Afghans to make this judgment from but most polls do show Afghans still want international help – so I don’t think I am wrong in my judgment.

It was both a great and very frustrating trip. But we managed to turn a few stories that seemed to be well received. This one focuses on the daily complexities of fighting a war while at the same time trying to limit civilian deaths. I can tell you despite the large number of civilian deaths during the fight for Marjah, the grunts of 3/6 Marines -which we were embedded with- were very disciplined and really did take to heart the two fold mission they were given: root out the Taliban and protect civilians.

I also seemed to have picked up at least one critic. JE Tabler of the Real News Blog seems to think I support terrorists because I was wearing a Keffiyeh -or Shemagh as a scarf is known in Afghanistan. Here is part of his post.

With winds at times hitting 40mph+, temperatures well below freezing at night, and dust and sand a constant problem many people wear Shemaghs in Afghanistan – particularly in the Helmand. Including many of the Marines.

US troops have been wearing them in Afghanistan, Iraq and the larger Middle East region for years. Last time I checked they don’t support terrorists either.