Pentagon spokesman: Taliban pushed back

The Taliban's momentum has not only been prevented from going forward, it's been put in reverse, a senior Pentagon spokesman said Monday. "The Taliban's momentum has not only been thwarted, it's been thrust back," Navy Capt. John Kirby said. "We believe they are in a much weaker position." Taliban militants are in "a much weaker position" now than they were a year ago," Kirby said in a release. While Taliban fighters typically go underground during winter months, U.S., coalition and Afghan forces were very active, which has paid off as the fighting season gets under way, Kirby said. U.S. officials said they believe the Taliban are on their heels. "It is much more difficult for them to move around, to resource, to plan and execute," Kirby said, adding no one's counting the militants out. "They are still a resilient, determined enemy," he said. "We understand that. But we really do believe that we have wrested the momentum from the Taliban."