US may narrow down Afghan war goals

[Naveed Yaseen]

* Senior White House officials arguing for policy change, seeking support for Pakistan in fight against Taliban
* McChrystal’s call for expansion of Afghanistan war questioned

Daily Times Monitor

LAHORE: Senior White House officials have started arguing for a change in Afghan policy that would send fewer additional combat troops to the country and focus instead on training Afghan forces, the elimination of Al Qaeda leaders and support for Pakistan in the fight against the Taliban.

At a meeting on Wednesday – according to the Washington Post – senior advisers challenged some of the key assumptions in Gen Stanley McChrystal’s assessment of the war. McChrystal has asked Obama to quickly endorse a change in strategy and approve additional resources to retake the initiative from the resurgent Taliban. But White House officials are questioning his call for a vast expansion of the war.

Three senior administration officials told the Washington Post that among the disputed assumptions was McChrystal’s contention that the Taliban and Al Qaeda shared the same strategic interests and the Taliban’s return to power would create a new sanctuary for Al Qaeda.

Some White House officials say Al Qaeda has not regained its foothold in Afghanistan even as the Taliban insurgency has strengthened.

Divisions are becoming clearer between those in the US government who want to broaden the war and those who want to adopt a narrower anti-terrorism effort focused primarily on Al Qaeda.

The newspaper learnt that while senior White House officials, led by Vice President Joe Biden, asked some of the sharpest questions, the uniformed military, including Gen David Petraeus, did not take issue with McChrystal’s assessment. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as well as Defence Secretary Robert Gates kept their views private.

Biden has argued against increasing the number of US combat troops in Afghanistan, and favours preserving the current force levels, stepping up drone strikes on Al Qaeda leaders and expediting training for Afghan forces. He is concerned that deployment of more US troops could be counterproductive.

McChrystal, meanwhile, is making his case for additional resources public. In a speech at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London on Thursday, he said “we must show resolve”, and warned that “uncertainty disheartens our allies and emboldens our foes”. Asked whether a more limited counter-terrorism efforts would succeed in Afghanistan, he said, “The short answer is: no. You have to navigate from where you are, not where you wish to be. A strategy that does not leave Afghanistan in a stable position is probably a short-sighted strategy.”

McChrystal’s high-profile campaign is forcing a widening debate on Capitol Hill. Republican leaders in Congress have called on Obama to approve McChrystal’s request quickly.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...2009_pg1_8