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NATO backs U.S. shake-up in Afghan command
Fri Jun 12, 2009 10:51am EDT
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By David Brunnstrom
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO on Friday backed a U.S. shake-up of military command in Afghanistan, as well as plans to step up training of Afghan forces, and Washington said it saw the chance of turning the tide in the war within a year.
The United States has named U.S. Army General Stanley McChrystal to overall command of U.S., NATO and allies forces in Afghanistan, with a deputy to run day-to-day military operations and another to oversee training.
The structure draws heavily on U.S. experience in Iraq.
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said defense ministers from the 28-nation NATO military alliance backed the plan at a meeting in Brussels.
"The logic is clear, because the mission has now grown to over 60,000 and it will keep growing," he said of the NATO-led component of the international military presence. "There is an ever greater requirement for coordination."
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who has urged European allies to step up their commitments after a big increase in U.S. troop numbers, said allies were now playing an increasingly important role and looking to step up their commitments.
He said insurgent activity had increased year after year and heavy fighting could be expected in the coming year, but added:
"I think that with the additional forces, and all of the other things we are doing...we have the chance to turn the tide of that momentum during the course of the next year."
Washington has increased its presence to 56,000 troops, from about 32,000 in late 2008, and expects a rise to some 68,000 by autumn. This is in addition to some 33,000 troops from NATO and partner countries.
ELECTION REINFORCEMENTS
De Hoop Scheffer said ministers had confirmed plans to send 8-10,000 troops to protect an August 20 presidential election and to deploy NATO Airborne Warning and Control aircraft to help deal with greater air traffic coming with big troop increases.
They also agreed to implement a coordinated NATO training mission aimed at building up the Afghan army and police to more than 200,000 personnel.
With insurgent violence at its worst level since the Taliban's 2001 overthrow, U.S. officials have acknowledged they are not winning in Afghanistan and the administration has declared the war its top military priority.
The move last month to dismiss U.S. General David McKiernan as the commander in Afghanistan and replace him with two highly rated generals reflects the sense of urgency.
Lieutenant-General David Rodriguez, a former U.S. and NATO commander in eastern Afghanistan who now serves as Defense Secretary Robert Gates' right-hand military man, will effectively run day-to-day war operations. Continued...
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