Top US general: Tough times are ahead for Kandahar, where next Afghan offensive is gearing up
By APFriday, April 30, 2010
Petraeus: Tough times ahead for south Afghanistan
KABUL — Tough times are ahead for Kandahar in southern Afghanistan where thousands of U.S., NATO and Afghan forces are gearing up for the latest offensive of the war, a top U.S. general said in an unannounced visit there Friday.
Gen. David Petraeus, the head of the U.S. Central Command, toured areas in and around Kandahar to bolster support for the military operation aimed at routing the Taliban from their southern stronghold.
“There have been tough moments here in Kandahar in recent weeks — that is well known. And we know that there will be more tough moments in the weeks and months ahead,” said Petraeus whose command oversees both Iraq and Afghanistan. “As we learned in Iraq, and as we have re-learned in Afghanistan, when you fight to take away the momentum and the sanctuaries and the safe havens of the enemy, the enemy fights back. And that can be difficult and tough to fight.”
U.S. troops are already flowing into the area — part of the 30,000 U.S. reinforcements President Barack Obama deployed to the war. The international troops, partnered with Afghan security forces, will secure areas around the city that has witnessed a rash of insurgent attacks in recent months.
If NATO’s counterinsurgency strategy works, the improved security will give the Afghan government a chance to gain better footing in Kandahar, a hotbed of militant and criminal activity, and the international community can ramp up aid to improve the quality of life for residents.
“The operation in Kandahar is not going to be a conventional offensive. It is rather precise operations out, around the city,” Petraeus said.
“The enemy fights back, and our experience in Iraq was that it got harder before it got easy.”
At a news conference, Petraeus said U.S. presence in Afghanistan where the war is in its ninth year, remained paramount. “It was right here in Kandahar that the 9-11 attacks were planned,” he said.
