Kabul, September 28: US Defense Secretary Robert Gates has played down any split between the US military and civilian leaders over the handling of the war in Afghanistan.
“I don’t think that’s the case at all,” he told ABC television in an interview on Sunday.
The comments come following Monday’s proposals by General McChrystal, a top US general in Afghanistan, warning that the US-led mission will “likely result in failure” unless more troops are deployed across the war-ravaged country.
President Barack Obama and his national security advisers are considering McChrystal’s assessment requiring additional forces.
However, Obama has expressed skepticism about whether sending more troops would make a difference in the conflict-torn country.
“Until I’m satisfied that we’ve got the right strategy, I’m not … sending some young men or women over there beyond what we already have,” Obama told NBC News.
This is while Gates has said that other US generals support Obama’s preference to take time to review strategy before weighing a request for more troops.
The US military has declined to reveal the details of General McChrystal’s troop request.
Former Republican presidential nominee John McCain said McChrystal had appealed for 30,000-40,000 forces. “I think it’s the worst — one of the many worst-kept secrets in Washington. It’s 30,000 to 40,000 troops.”
McCain also urged Obama to meet the commander’s request.
Meanwhile, several European countries seem to oppose further commitments for the mission in Afghanistan, where insurgency has skyrocketed over the past months.
Despite the presence of over 100,000 troops in the war-torn country, Afghanistan is witnessing the highest level of violence since the 2001 invasion.
US-led forces lost 77 troops in August, setting a new monthly record since the occupation began in 2001.
—–Agencies