Kabul hails US troop surge in Afghanistan

Wed Dec 2, 2009

The Afghan government has embraced US President Barack Obama's new strategy which sees an additional 30,000 US troops deployed to the war-wracked country.

"We are satisfied with the new US strategy. We particularly welcome the reassurance of the United States' long-term commitment to Afghanistan," senior foreign ministry adviser Daud Muradyan told AFP.

Obama's announcement of the surge on Tuesday came after months of considering the issue and repeated calls from Kabul for more forces than the 112,000 NATO and US troops currently stationed in Afghanistan.

More than eight years of foreign military presence in Afghanistan since the 2001 invasion of the country has failed to achieve its primary goal of ridding the war-weary nation of deadly Taliban-linked violence.

In a major speech on Washington's new war strategy, Obama vowed the surge would see troops in Afghanistan "seize the initiative" to end the unpopular war and start a pullout in July 2011.

Muradyan hailed Obama's commitment to Afghanistan, and dismissed the comparisons being made in the United States between the conflict in Afghanistan, and US wars in Vietnam and Iraq.

"Additional troops alone cannot be the solution, It can, however, be part of a comprehensive strategy to include other aspects such as pressuring Pakistan, increasing financial support and civilian efforts," he said.

Afghanistan wants Pakistan to clamp down on Taliban and al-Qaeda-linked militants holed up near the two countries' porous mountain border.

Obama's top commander in Afghanistan had earlier requested tens of thousands of extra troops to avoid defeat and focus on building up Afghan forces to take over security responsibilities while Afghan officials are also asking for more experts to train 240,000 soldiers and 160,000 policemen.

German NATO commander Gen. Egon Ramms, however, warned last month that Afghanistan's 68,000-strong police are prone to corruption and training has not been efficient.

Out of 94,000 Afghan soldiers trained so far, 10,000 have left, he said, adding 15 percent of the armed forces are drug addicts.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://edition.presstv.ir/detail/112672.html.