Petraeus favours US troop surge in Afghanistan

AFP on Yahoo ^ | 12/9/08 | AFP

[NormsRevenge]

ROME (AFP) – General David Petraeus, commander of US forces in the Middle East and Central Asia and credited with boosting security in Iraq, said Tuesday that he has recommended a major troop surge in Afghanistan.

Petraeus said he had "already made recommendations" for an almost doubling of US troops in Afghanistan based on requests from General David McKiernan, the top commander of US and NATO troops in the central Asian country.

Petraeus is widely credited for turning around a Sunni insurgency in western Iraq with a 30,000 troop "surge" to secure Baghdad and its environs during his tenure as commander of the US-led coalition forces in Iraq.

Many hope that Petraeus will bring his counter-insurgency expertise to bear in Afghanistan, which has seen a spike in violence from a resurgent Taliban in the last two years, despite the presence of 70,000 NATO and US troops.

However, in a speech in Rome Tuesday, Petraeus cautioned that the "situation remains fragile" in Iraq despite unquestionable progress.

"No one disputes at this point that there has been substantial progress in Iraq," he said at the American Studies Center in Rome. "But the situation does remain fragile."

[NormsRevenge]

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (R) shakes hands with General David Petraeus, commander of US forces in the Middle East and Central Asia, during their meeting at Chigi palace in Rome. Petraeus indicated Tuesday that he has recommended a major troop surge in Afghanistan. (AFP/Alberto Pizzoli)

[Tailback]

Petraeus is our modern day Belisarius.

[PVT4evr]

I knew that the Boss (Gen. Petraeus) had a few deployments, but judging by his stripes, I count 4 years total deployed, I feel so inadequate.

[Retain Mike]

Afghanistan is at risk, because people like General Petraeus and his philosophy are scarce commodities. NATO, Pentagon and intelligence bureaucrats, many masquerading in military uniforms, have consistently ignored and depreciated counterinsurgency warfare. Successful career development worldwide requires resumes applying advanced technologies for conventional warfare in Europe and on blue water seas to third world small wars. Counterinsurgency warfare receives scant attention for being low tech, labor intensive and unspectacular.

When General Petraeus commanded the 101st Airborne in Iraq in April 2003 he said, “Now the hard part begins”. However, he had only two stars and did not co-author Army’s counterinsurgency field manual until 2006. The Marine Corps, not Army, has unpopular distinction for embracing the culture of counterinsurgency warfare. As Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine General Peter Pace had the watch for internal political battles allowing General Petraeus prominence. Seldom would such a gifted, experienced soldier obtain significance needed within ossified intelligence and defense bureaucracies to implement proven counterinsurgency tactics.

Application of counterinsurgency tactics would increase momentum among local religious, tribal and political leaders to reject the Taliban and accept national government. The objective would be to help them make pragmatic, consistent decisions recognizing utility of and alignment with Kabul. Afghan and NATO combined units would clear Taliban from marginal regions, remain militarily present, and allow reconstruction teams entry. Locals would assume authority as behavior confirmed commitment to national goals. In rebellious regions attacks would disrupt Taliban units planning offensives, until regular presence expanded from adjacent pacific areas.

[miliantnutcase]

Just do what he says! If he says jump, they better ask “How High?”.

[dbz77]

“Substantial progress in Iraq.”