In a news conference in Kabul today, top NATO general in Afghanistan General David McKiernan said that while the “progress” is not “as fast as many of us would like, but we are not losing in Afghanistan.” The general also pressed for more military forces to fight the seven year old war.
The comments come in the wake of pessimistic assessments from US and other NATO officials regarding the situation in the war torn nation. Admiral Mullen predicted last week that the violence, already at its highest levels since the war began, would be even worse next year. The as-yet-unreleased National Intelligence Estimate reportedly warned the nation is facing a “downward spiral,” Two British officials also predicted that a military victory over the Taliban was impossible, which led to a condemnation from US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.
It is being predicted that President Bush will announce a 10,000 troop surge sometime after next month’s elections, while the US also pressed NATO allies last week to provide more troops for the war. They have also asked Japan and other allies who aren’t sending troops to the nation to provide funding for the build up of Afghanistan’s army.