Washington, Sep 21 (DPA) The top US military commander for Afghanistan has warned that he needs additional troops within the next 12 months or the conflict will “likely result in failure”, the Washington Post reported Monday.
The assessment by General Stanley McChrystal is outlined in a 66-page report sent to Defence Secretary Robert Gates Aug 30, a copy of which was obtained by the Post.
“Failure to gain the initiative and reverse insurgent momentum in the near-term (next 12 months) – while Afghan security capacity matures – risks an outcome where defeating the insurgency is no longer possible.”
President Barack Obama said last week that he had not yet made any decision on sending additional US troops to Afghanistan, despite some calls for more resources from military commanders.
The president said he was still conducting a full review of the administration’s Afghanistan strategy and was closely watching the aftermath of the country’s disputed presidential election.
In a television interview broadcast Sunday, Obama said he didn’t yet have a deadline for withdrawal. “But I’m certainly not somebody who believes in indefinite occupations of other countries.
“I’m not interested in just being in Afghanistan for the sake of being in Afghanistan or saving face or, in some way, you know, sending a message that America is here for the duration,” he told NBC’s Meet the Press.
“I have to exercise scepticism anytime I send a single young man or woman in uniform into harm’s way, because I’m the one who’s answerable to their parents if they don’t come home.”
Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a Senate committee Tuesday that more troops were needed to train Afghan forces to maintain security.
Obama said last week that McChrystal’s report was just one component of his strategy.
“General McChrystal has carried out his own assessment on the military strategy, but it’s important that we also do an assessment on the civilian side, the diplomatic side, the development side, that we analyse the results of the election and then make further decisions moving forward,” Obama said.
In his report, McChrystal detailed the growing Taliban insurgency as well as the rampant corruption in the Afghan government.
“The weakness of state institutions, malign actions of power-brokers, widespread corruption and abuse of power by various officials, and ISAF’s (International Security Assistance Force or the NATO-led coalition) own errors, have given Afghans little reason to support their government,” McChrystal said.
He also described a major weakness of ISAF as being out of touch with the Afghan population.
“Preoccupied with protection of our own forces, we have operated in a manner that distances us – physically and psychologically – from the people we seek to protect … The insurgents cannot defeat us militarily; but we can defeat ourselves.”
McChrystal said the Afghan prison system was feeding the conflict, with more than 2,500 of 14,500 inmates represented by the Taliban and Al Qaeda, operating with impunity and able to plan and coordinate attacks while in detention.
However, the report also concludes that “while the situation is serious, success is still achievable”.
Obama has already ordered one troop escalation since coming into office. The US boosted its forces by 17,000 combat troops and 4,000 trainers to work with the Afghan military. The last of those additional forces will be on the ground by the end of the month.
Pentagon officials said McChrystal was expected to propose an additional 10,000 to 45,000 troops for Afghanistan, the New York Times reported.
