New US general to take over in Afghanistan

The US replaced its top general in Afghanistan today as President Barack Obama tries to turn around a stalemated war.

US defence secretary Robert Gates said he asked for the resignation of General David McKiernan.

Mr Gates said new leadership is needed as the Obama administration launches its strategy in the seven-year-old campaign.

The change is aimed at “getting fresh thinking, fresh eyes on the problem”, he said.

The move comes as more than 21,000 additional US forces begin to arrive in Afghanistan, dispatched by Mr Obama to confront the Taliban more forcefully this spring and summer.

Replacing Gen McKiernan will be Lieutenant General Stanley McChrystal, who has had a top administrative job at the Joint Chiefs of Staff for less than a year. He is a former commander of the Joint Special Operations Command.

Gen McKiernan held the command in Afghanistan for about 11 months.

Mr Gates recommended to Mr Obama that Lt Gen McChrystal be nominated for the top job and that Lt Gen David Rodriguez be his deputy. He urged the Senate to confirm the two quickly.

Mr Obama approved 17,000 additional combat forces for Afghanistan this year, plus 4,000 trainers and other non-combat troops.

By year’s end, the United States will have more than 68,000 troops in the huge country – about double the total at the end of George Bush’s presidency but still far fewer than the approximately 130,000 still in Iraq.

Gen McKiernan and other US commanders have said resources they need in Afghanistan are tied up in Iraq.

Asked if Gen McKiernan’s resignation ends his military career, Mr Gates said: “Probably.”

Mr Gates visited Afghanistan last week to see first-hand what preparations and plans are under way to set the president’s counter-insurgency strategy in motion.

“As I have said many times before, very few of these problems can be solved by military means alone,” he said today. “And yet, from the military perspective, we can and must do better.”

He noted that the Afghan campaign has long been short-changed of the people and money needed in favour of the Bush administration’s focus since 2003 on the Iraq war.

“But I believe, resources or no, that our mission there requires new thinking and new approaches from our military leaders,” he said.

“Today we have a new policy set by our new president. We have a new strategy, a new mission, and a new ambassador. I believe that new military leadership also is needed.”