Saturday, November 1, 2008

New Afghan War Strategy To Be Implemented This Winter

Silhouette of 2 soldiers on patrol at Forward Operation Base Masum Ghar.
(Photo from the Canadian Defense Department)

Afghan Security Forces Taking The Offensive -- Edmonton Sun

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- Canada's strategy in Afghanistan will shift this winter, using improved Afghan security forces to seize and hold more territory now under the influence of the insurgents, the commanding officer of Task Force Kandahar said yesterday.

"We now have even more capable Afghan national security forces," said Gen. Denis Thompson. "If you're going to increase the amount of terrain you control, the ultimate garrison is a policeman."

Recent operations by the International Security Assistance Force in Kandahar province have focused more on disrupting insurgent operations and supply lines than on extending the range of government control.

That's about to change, Thompson said.

Five new police substations have been built across the province and eight more are expected to be added in the coming months. Those stations will be staffed by Afghan police with western mentor teams in order to ensure "the ground we control stays in that state," Thompson said.

"In order to deepen that hold, we need to make sure that there is not only an ISAF and (Afghan army) presence, but that the police that are there are credible and that they're established in permanent infrastructure."

Read more ....

My Comment: The manpower is not there ... I am very skeptical that what they are planning will not work, that this is mostly PR.

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