The outgoing U.S. and NATO led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) commander in Afghanistan Gen. David Petraeus claps, as he welcomes the new NATO- led International Security Assistance Force commander in Afghanistan U.S. Gen. John Allen during
The outgoing U.S. and NATO led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) commander in Afghanistan Gen. David Petraeus claps, as he welcomes the new NATO- led International Security Assistance Force commander in Afghanistan U.S. Gen. John Allen during a changing of command ceremony in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, July 18, 2011. As Petraeus shifts from the Afghan battlefield to run the CIA, he leaves behind a legacy of tactical and spycraft changes that spurred more killings and captures of Afghan militants while reducing insurgent attacks to their lowest level in years, senior U.S. officials in Afghanistan said. Musadeq Sadeq, Associated Press
By Associated Press

WASHINGTON — As Gen. David Petraeus leaves the Afghan battlefield to run the CIA, he leaves behind a legacy of changes to military tactics and spycraft. U.S. officials say his tenure saw a big increase in the number of Afghan insurgents killed and captured and a drop in violent attacks by militants.

From April to July, nearly 3,000 insurgents were captured in special operations raids. That's twice the number captured for the same time period a year ago, according to NATO headquarters.

No one claims these numbers guarantee anti-government Taliban factions won't reconstitute.

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But the system Petraeus helped institutionalize — a fusion of intelligence and special operations teams — will remain as a legacy of his command, and a clue to what he may do next at the CIA.

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