NATO gets report of top commander in Afghanistan
BRUSSELS — The strategic review of the war in Afghanistan prepared by the top commander of U.S. and NATO forces there has been received by commands on both sides of the ocean, officials in Brussels said Monday.
“This is an assessment by the ISAF commander, it is not a change of strategy,” NATO spokesman James Appathurai said. He said the document did not include a request for additional foreign troops in Afghanistan.
Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s assessment, which is classified, has been sent to the Pentagon and to NATO for review.
In NATO, it will initially be studied by the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Mons, Belgium, and at NATO’s Joint Force Command HQ at Brunssum, the Netherlands.
The document will then be submitted to NATO’s secretary-general and the North Atlantic Council, the 28-member alliance’s governing body, for consideration and approval.
“It will need to be assessed by NATO’s political and military leadership, in addition to the U.S. track,” Appathurai said.
NATO and its allies have nearly 65,000 troops in Afghanistan, about 30,000 of them Americans. More than 30,000 additional U.S. troops are operating there under a separate command.
Recent surveys in Europe have indicated that public support for the war is waning as casualties rise and the conflict drags into its eighth year with little prospect of quick victory.
Member states expect McChrystal’s assessment to recommend their greater engagement in efforts to train the Afghan army and police, said a NATO official who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter.
A decision to set up a NATO Training Mission Afghanistan was approved at the alliance’s summit in April in Strasbourg, France. The mission, which will unite and streamline all training activities under a single command, is due to become operational this month.
Related News
US commander in Afghanistan says success against the Taliban cannot be taken for grantedOctober 1st, 2009 US general says Afghan violence increasingLONDON — The top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan says success there will take time, patience and resolve.
NATO's secretary-general: Obama right to do 'strategy first, then resources' for AfghanistanSeptember 30th, 2009 NATO official agrees with Obama's Afghan approachWASHINGTON — NATO's secretary-general said Tuesday President Barack Obama is right to decide strategy first, then resources for Afghanistan and said he's confident that U.S. and allied troops will remain "as long as it takes."
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, chief of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and Obama met in the White House, addressing reporters afterward.
No military solution possible in Afghanistan: KrishnaSeptember 23rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Even as a top US commander in Afghanistan has sought more forces, India has said there is no military solution to the conflict in that country and NATO combat operations should give way to a political settlement. India, one of the biggest investors in Afghanistan, "doesn't believe that war can solve any problem and that applies to Afghanistan also," External Affairs Minister S.M.
McChrystal report: US needs more troops to avoid failure in Afghanistan warSeptember 21st, 2009 Report: More troops needed for Afghan war successWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's top commander in Afghanistan has told him that without more troops the United States could lose the war that Obama has described as the nation's foremost military priority. Obama must now decide whether to commit thousands of additional American forces or try to hold the line against the Taliban with the troops and strategy he has already approved.
Def Sec'y Gates says time is 'limited' to show correctness of US policy in AfghanistanSeptember 3rd, 2009 Gates: It's not time to leave AfghanistanWASHINGTON — Facing eroding public support for the war in Afghanistan, the Pentagon chief said Thursday that the Obama administration's effort in the eight-year-old conflict is "only now beginning."
Defense Secretary Robert Gates also said he disagrees with people who say it's time to get out of Afghanistan. Several recent public opinion polls have shown Americans expressing declining support for the idea of sending more troops to the conflict and falling confidence in how the campaign is going.
US Open to increase troops in Afghanistan: PentagonSeptember 3rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - The US is open to the possibility of sending more troops to the Afghanistan war, where President Barack Obama's government has "limited time" to show improvement, top defence officials said Thursday. US Defence Secretary Robert Gates told a press conference at Pentagon that he has received the assessment report on the Afghanistan strategy by Army General Stanley A.
Defese Secretary Gates says time is 'limited' to show correctness of US policy in AfghanistanSeptember 3rd, 2009 Gates says it's not time to leave AfghanistanWASHINGTON — Facing eroding public support for the war in Afghanistan, the Pentagon chief said Thursday that the Obama administration's effort in the eight-year-old conflict is "only now beginning." Defense Secretary Robert Gates also said he disagrees with people who say it's time to get out of Afghanistan. Several recent public opinion polls have shown Americans expressing declining support for the idea of sending more troops to the conflict and falling confidence in how the campaign is going.
After 8 years of war, more troops and new strategy may mark next phase of fight in AfghanistanSeptember 1st, 2009 Next phase in Afghanistan may require more troopsWASHINGTON — More troops and a new strategy for using them are emerging as critical components to the 8-year-old effort by U.S. and NATO forces to defeat the Taliban and secure Afghanistan.
Gibbs: Obama has not yet read Afghan war assessment by Gen. McChrystalAugust 31st, 2009 Gibbs: Obama has not yet read Afghan assessmentWASHINGTON — The White House spokesman says President Barack Obama has not yet seen a new assessment of the Afghan war. Robert Gibbs said Monday that the report is making it's way "up the chain of command." Gen.
US commander in Afghanistan sends strategic war review to Pentagon, NATOAugust 31st, 2009 US general sends Afghan war review to PentagonKABUL — NATO says the top commander of U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan has finished his 60-day strategic review of the war and that it is now being sent up the chain of command to the Pentagon and NATO headquarters.
Gates says McCrystal's new Afghanistan assessment will carry no specific troop recommendationAugust 13th, 2009 Gates: No troop recommendation in Afghan reportWASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday that an Afghan assessment due soon from commanding Gen. Stanley McChrystal won't contain any specific recommendations for increases in troops.
Adviser to top US general predicts 2 more years of tough fighting in AfghanistanAugust 7th, 2009 Adviser: US has 2 more tough years in AfghanistanWASHINGTON — An incoming adviser to the top U.S. general in Afghanistan predicted Thursday that the United States will see about two more years of heavy fighting and then either hand off to a much improved Afghan fighting force or "lose and go home."
David Kilcullen, a counterinsurgency expert who will assume a role as a senior adviser to Gen.
Pentagon says review of Afghan war delayed a few weeks to consider more 'ideas'August 5th, 2009 Pentagon says review of Afghan war to be delayedWASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Robert Gates, asking that "a few other ideas" be taken into account, has extended the deadline for an assessment of how to turn around the war in Afghanistan, an official said Wednesday. The report had been expected next week and now may come in late August or early September, Defense Department spokesman Geoff Morrell said.
Senate unanimously approves nominations of new US commanders for Afghanistan and NATOJune 11th, 2009 Senate confirms commanders for Afghanistan, NATOWASHINGTON — The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the nominations of Army Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal to be the next commander of U.S.
US replacing top commander in AfghanistanMay 12th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US Defence Secretary Robert Gates announced Monday that he is replacing the commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan to bring a fresh approach to the conflict. Gates told reporters at the Pentagon he has asked General David McKiernan to submit his resignation and nominated Lieutenant General Stanley McChrystal to become the next commander.
Loading ...