No early Afghan victory: general

LONDON – Nato has insufficient troops in Afghanistan to secure a victory over Taliban Islamist fighters in the coming months, the alliance’s top commander said in an interview published yesterday.

“I haven’t got enough (to) win this, say, in the next six months, but I can continue to make sufficient improvements to keep the people here confident in us and in their government,” British army General David Richards told the Financial Times. A Taliban-led insurgency has intensified this year, surprising Nato generals who took over command of foreign forces in Afghanistan from the United States, with more 3 100 people killed in the past 10 months.But Richards said it was possible to persuade the Afghan people his 31 000-strong Nato force from 37 nations was making progress.”I can persuade them of that without huge amounts of additional troops,” he said, noting that the Afghan army and police would help.Two new Canadian companies had already arrived in the country and 1 000 Polish troops would be on board in the new year, he said.”I am confident that Nato nations will continue to answer the call,” Richards said.Nato countries have yet to plug troop shortfalls identified by commanders and lawmakers from Nato nations called last month for more troops to be sent to Afghanistan.The general also spoke about a Nato operation launched this week to accelerate reconstruction and development and win back public confidence, dented by the lack of progress.Operation Eagle was “a psychological operation to persuade people that the government and the international community are capable of delivering on their promises”, Richards said.He defended Nato’s strategy in Afghanistan: “We are winning.We needed to establish our ability to secure and defend the Afghan people.”Nato’s International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF, assumed responsibility for security in all of Afghanistan last month, taking over the east of the country from US forces.Nampa-ReutersA Taliban-led insurgency has intensified this year, surprising Nato generals who took over command of foreign forces in Afghanistan from the United States, with more 3 100 people killed in the past 10 months.But Richards said it was possible to persuade the Afghan people his 31 000-strong Nato force from 37 nations was making progress.”I can persuade them of that without huge amounts of additional troops,” he said, noting that the Afghan army and police would help.Two new Canadian companies had already arrived in the country and 1 000 Polish troops would be on board in the new year, he said.”I am confident that Nato nations will continue to answer the call,” Richards said.Nato countries have yet to plug troop shortfalls identified by commanders and lawmakers from Nato nations called last month for more troops to be sent to Afghanistan.The general also spoke about a Nato operation launched this week to accelerate reconstruction and development and win back public confidence, dented by the lack of progress.Operation Eagle was “a psychological operation to persuade people that the government and the international community are capable of delivering on their promises”, Richards said.He defended Nato’s strategy in Afghanistan: “We are winning.We needed to establish our ability to secure and defend the Afghan people.”Nato’s International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF, assumed responsibility for security in all of Afghanistan last month, taking over the east of the country from US forces.Nampa-Reuters