I'd have to say that this is probably as adamant a call for help as you will see from a U.S. Army General. Army Gen. David D. McKiernan is making the plea for more troops in Afghanistan and is painting a pretty dark picture of the situation. Let's take a look at some of the details from the L.A. Times article:
That last paragraph really does say it all. With the impending American victory in Iraq, the jihadists of the world have shifted their focus almost completely on Afghanistan and the rallying cry across the world has brought these misfits from all over. Add to that the ease in which they join the fight by entering Pakistan, hooking up with the Taliban scourge and crossing into Afghanistan to do battle and you have a steady stream of new fighters.
The way I look at this is it's like a gas station that decides to offer gasoline one day at half price - people literally will drive miles and miles just for the sake of getting $1.50 gasoline and of course, the numbers grow immensely. The jihadists from all of these other world locations see the potential for a victory in Afghanistan and they all want to be a part of it.
And what the General is calling for is of course needed, but those additional troops need to come from ALL of NATO countries, not just the U.S. That will be an uphill climb.
Allied forces are facing a tougher fight in Afghanistan than was expected and need an infusion of American troops "as quickly as possible," the top U.S. commander there said Wednesday.The warning by Army Gen. David D. McKiernan, commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, served as a counterpoint to Bush administration plans to delay a significant shift in forces from Iraq to Afghanistan.
"We are in a tough counterinsurgency fight, we are in a higher level of violence this year than we were this time last year," McKiernan said, hours before a meeting with President Bush in Washington. "In the east and south we are seeing a greater amount of insecurity in certain areas. So I wouldn't say things are all on the right track."
McKiernan attributed the rise in violence in part to an influx of foreign fighters, including Chechens, Uzbeks, Arabs and Europeans. They are coming in through the porous Afghan-Pakistani border, he said.
That last paragraph really does say it all. With the impending American victory in Iraq, the jihadists of the world have shifted their focus almost completely on Afghanistan and the rallying cry across the world has brought these misfits from all over. Add to that the ease in which they join the fight by entering Pakistan, hooking up with the Taliban scourge and crossing into Afghanistan to do battle and you have a steady stream of new fighters.
The way I look at this is it's like a gas station that decides to offer gasoline one day at half price - people literally will drive miles and miles just for the sake of getting $1.50 gasoline and of course, the numbers grow immensely. The jihadists from all of these other world locations see the potential for a victory in Afghanistan and they all want to be a part of it.
And what the General is calling for is of course needed, but those additional troops need to come from ALL of NATO countries, not just the U.S. That will be an uphill climb.
More U.S. troops needed in Afghanistan 'quickly,' general says
McKiernan did not say whether he considers that soon enough but was blunt in his appraisal."We're in a very tough fight," McKiernan said. "The idea that it might get worse before it gets better is certainly a possibility."McKiernan's Washington visit came amid growing Pentagon concern over violence in Afghanistan. In addition to the overall level of violence, suicide attacks by militants have grown more lethal, one senior defense official said on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak on the matter. The number of suicide attacks this year, 121 through late September, is up slightly from the same period last year, which saw 118 attacks. But the death toll has grown markedly, with a 126% increase in the number of noncombatants killed.McKiernan attributed the rise in violence in part to an influx of foreign fighters, including Chechens, Uzbeks, Arabs and Europeans. They are coming in through the porous Afghan-Pakistani border, he said.McKiernan endorsed a proposal by Afghanistan's defense minister to create a joint force that could patrol the border. "It is a very powerful idea, and I would like to pursue that," said the general, who hopes the Pakistan military endorses a version of the plan.McKiernan said many strategic decisions must be left to the Afghan government, including whether to pay tribes not to fight or to reconcile with Taliban leaders. Afghan President Hamid Karzai reportedly made an overture this week to Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar, who is believed to be in Pakistan.Previously, U.S. commanders have considered top-level Taliban members as "irreconcilable."Pointing to the potential difficulty ahead, McKiernan shook off a question about an "exit strategy.""I am not even looking at an exit strategy right now," he said.
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