US Gen McChrystal takes command in Afghanistan

Gen. Stanley McChrystal will oversee all U.S. and NATO troops in the country to fight a Taliban insurgency launching more attacks than ever.

A new American commander is in charge in Afghanistan.

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Gen. Stanley McChrystal will oversee all U.S. and NATO troops in the country to fight a Taliban insurgency launching more attacks than ever.

McChrystal took command from Gen. David McKiernan during a low-key ceremony Monday in Kabul. McKiernan was fired by the Pentagon one year into a two-year assignment.

McChrystal, a former special forces commander, is expected to bring a more unconventional approach to a war that has turned increasingly violent almost eight years after the 2001 U.S. invasion.

The four-star general commands the largest international force ever in Afghanistan. A record 56,000 U.S. troops are in the country, alongside 32,000 forces from 41 other countries.