January 2015 UTC Agree with Coltsfan Nobody is saying the overall conflict which has lasted since 1979 has ended RightCowLeftCoast and that s not actually the topic of this discussion What we are discussing is that the direct NATO combat involvement phase of the overall Afghan civil war 1979 present has ended and a new phase has begun just like previously you had the Soviet phase the Fall of the communist government the inter factional fighting than the Taliban phase than the NATO phase which we are discussing and now we have a totally new phase of the conflict where the Afghan government takes the lead and NATO and US remnants have a secondary role 23 24 8