Top U.S. commander warns that Afghan war could get worse

[unhappycamper]

Top U.S. commander warns that Afghan war could get worse
By Nancy A. Youssef | McClatchy Newspapers
Posted on Wednesday, October 1, 2008

WASHINGTON — The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan warned Wednesday that the situation there could worsen there before it improves and urgently called for more troops, civilian advisors and equipment. "We're in a very tough fight," said Gen. David McKiernan. "The idea that it might get worse before it gets better is certainly a possibility."

McKiernan spoke amid growing worries among Pentagon officials about how the U.S. military can sustain troop levels in Iraq and also address the worsening violence in Afghanistan. While violence has dropped significantly in Iraq this year, it's risen by roughly 30 percent in Afghanistan, and U.S. troop deaths in Afghanistan now surpass the monthly toll in Iraq.

Afghanistan has had a far lower priority in troops and funds than Iraq has, and it's frequently referred to as an "economy of force" operation, one that requires a minimal number of troops. But top Pentagon officials say it can't be run that way any longer, and the military has recently begun to re-examine its Afghan strategy.

During Friday's presidential debate, Barack Obama and John McCain both called for more troops in Afghanistan to counter the growing violence. McCain said that the answer to the insurgency was to adopt the strategy in Iraq and send in more troops.

McKiernan, who's in charge of NATO forces in Afghanistan, spent much of Wednesday trying to convince Washington to focus on Afghanistan. He spoke to Pentagon reporters in the morning, held a second news conference at midday and met President Bush later in the afternoon.


Rest of article at: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/world/story/53351.html

[DrDebug]

1. From the archives 2007: NATO Secretary general expected peace by 2009

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer hopes to see Afghanistan "on the road to long-term peace" by 2009, he said Saturday.

"Afghanistan and success in Afghanistan is of key importance for the answer to the question: Can the alliance deliver?" he told a gathering of the world's top security officials.

"In 2009 I think we should see Afghanistan on the road to long-term peace and stability with the back of the resistance broken."

(...)

http://www.nato.int/docu/speech/2007/s070209d.html

(I guess it's time to quietly delete that page from their website...)

[DrDebug]

2. Since wars are forgotten anyhow

Dec 1967, Walt W. Rostow:"I see light at the end of the tunnel"
http://www.quotesandsayings.com/qvietnam.htm

Oct. 1969, Richard Nixon: "I'm not going to be the first American president to lose a war."
http://www.quotesandsayings.com/qvietnam.htm

Oct. 26 1972, Henry Kissinger: "We believe that peace is at hand"
http://www.ichiban1.org/html/history/1969_1973_vietnamization/17_vietnam_cease_fire_1972_1973.htm

Oct. 1980, Ronald Reagan: "It's time that we recognized that ours was in truth a noble cause."
http://www.quotesandsayings.com/qvietnam.htm

Hey at least wars are not an issue anymore. I sincerely doubt whether I really care anymore either.