Petraeus: No quick solution to Afghan war

THE general tapped to take over command of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan braced lawmakers yesterday for an escalation in violence, playing down hopes for a swift turnaround after nine years of war.

Senate confirmation by the weekend appeared assured for General David Petraeus, nominated to lead the war effort after President Barack Obama sacked General Stanley McChrystal for disparaging civilian leaders in an explosive magazine report.

Petraeus promised greater unity to counter what he called an “industrial strength insurgency” and said he would reassess controversial rules of engagement limiting the use of force by US troops and aircraft.

One of the US military’s biggest stars, Petraeus is credited with helping to turn the tide in Iraq. Obama is counting on him to do the same with the unpopular war in Afghanistan launched in 2001.

But Petraeus used yesterday’s confirmation hearing to rein in expectations, saying progress was slower than expected in the southern heartland of the Taliban insurgency and that the task of training Afghan security forces to take over from US troops remained a monumental challenge.

“My sense is that the tough fighting will continue. Indeed, it may get more intense in the next few months,” Petraeus told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Soaring US and NATO casualties have undercut public support for the war in the US and Europe.Petraeus has acknowledged pressure from the political “clock”.

Petraeus called Afghanistan a “contest of wills” with the Taliban aiming to weaken Western resolve to stay in the war.

“They can sense concern in various capitals around the world and of course they want to increase that concern,” the general said.

Ahead of US congressional elections in November in which Republicans are expected to make gains against Obama’s fellow Democrats, the president’s reshuffling of the Afghan command sought to shore up his own standing.

It also sought to salvage support for a revised strategy of securing major centres, chief among them the Taliban birthplace of Kandahar.

Petraeus said the Taliban have begun to feel pressure from the extra 30,000 troops that Obama authorised in December but cautioned that the insurgency was resilient and was confident it can “outlast the coalition’s will to fight”.

Obama was furious about the article in Rolling Stone magazine article in which McChrystal made belittling remarks about Vice President Joe Biden and the US special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke.