New Insurgent Tactics in Afghanistan Show Weakness, General Says
By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 2005 - As Afghanistan's security forces grow and the
country's political process moves forward, the Taliban has suffered major
setbacks and has begun using more roadside and suicide bombs out of
desperation, the U. S. commander in Afghanistan said here today.
"If you're on (the Taliban's) side and looking at the trends that are out
there right now, the tide of history is moving against you," said Army Lt.
Gen. Karl Eikenberry, commanding general of Combined Forces Command
Afghanistan. "So a shift in tactics is not necessarily a sign of strength.
My belief is that a shift in tactics right now is very much a sign of
weakness. "
At a Pentagon news conference, the general said Afghan security forces,
working with coalition forces, are now able to operate in areas they
previously couldn't gain access to, such as extremely mountainous areas with
a strong Taliban influence. Because they now have access to these areas,
there is naturally an increase in fighting, he said, but Afghan and
coalition forces, not the Taliban, have initiated more of that fighting and.
The Afghan National Army now numbers about 30,000 and is a nationally
recognized institution with a nationwide presence, Eikenberry said. Although
challenges lay ahead for the army, the progress should not be overlooked,
especially because before Sept. 11, 2001, Afghanistan had no national
security institutions and no military traditions, he said.
"One of the important effects that they're achieving on the ground is that
they are a very respected institution, and their national presence gives the
Afghan people tremendous hope and confidence that their nation is coming
back together," he said.
Further proof that the country is coming back together is in the political
progress made in the last four years, Eikenberry said. The country has gone
from two decades of brutal warfare, including the Soviet occupation, civil
war and the Taliban regime, to having a constitution, a democratically
elected president, a representative national assembly and provincial
councils, he said. Roads, wells, schools and clinics are being built around
the country, and millions of children are going to school for the first
time, he added.
"Clearly there's ample reason to be both proud and to be optimistic," he
said.
As progress continues, U. S. and coalition forces still face some
challenges, Eikenberry acknowledged.
The first challenge for U. S. and coalition forces is, working alongside the
Afghan security forces, to continue the fight against the Taliban and al
Qaeda, he said. Second, they must continue to build the Afghan security
forces, emphasizing quality over quantity, he said. Third, the U. S. must
continue to work with the Afghan government and the international community
to improve governance and develop the nation's infrastructure, he said.
An important aspect of rebuilding the infrastructure is stopping the
production and trafficking of illegal narcotics in Afghanistan, the general
noted.
As U. S. forces work with their coalition partners and the Afghan security
forces to overcome these challenges, they are preparing to transfer
responsibility for Regional Command South to NATO's International Security
Assistance Force, Eikenberry said. NATO already is a large contributor to
the fight in Afghanistan, and this transfer will mean an expansion of their
forces, he said. The U. S. will continue to support the NATO force, he
added.
Eikenberry said U. S. officials have no reason to believe Osama bin Laden
was killed in the Oct. 8 Pakistan earthquake. It is important for the
American people, the international community and the Afghan people to
capture bin Laden, so the U. S. will not rest until he is found, Eikenberry
said.
But he urged people to look beyond the one terrorist leader. "This is not
about one man," he said. "This is about a network; it's about a movement.
And we've continued to make progress over the last several years, and we've
continued to make progress over this past year in Afghanistan. "
Biography:
Lt.
<http://www.cfc-a.centcom.mil/BIOS/Lt%20Gen%20Eikenberry%20Biography.htm>
Gen. Karl Eikenberry, USA
Related Site:
Combined Forces Command <http://www.cfc-a.centcom.mil/> Afghanistan
<http://www.defenselink.mil/news/archive.html> News Archive News Archive
<http://www.defenselink.mil/news/archive.html>
_____
NOTE: View the original
<http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec2005/20051208_3583.html> version of this
web page on DefenseLINK <http://www.defenselink.mil> , the official website
of the U. S. Department of Defense.
_____
Visit the Defense Department's Web site "America Supports You" at
http://www.americasupportsyou.mil, that spotlights what Americans are doing
in support of U.S. military men and women serving at home and abroad.
Visit the Defense Department's Web site for the latest news and information
about America's response to the war against terrorism: "Defend America" at
http://www.DefendAmerica.mil. <http://www.DefendAmerica.mil>
_____
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