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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| US in Afghanistan failure warning | US in Afghanistan failure warning |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The US mission in Afghanistan will "likely result in failure" unless troops are increased, the top US general there has said in a report. | The US mission in Afghanistan will "likely result in failure" unless troops are increased, the top US general there has said in a report. |
| Gen Stanley McChrystal made his assessment in a copy of a confidential report obtained by the Washington Post. | Gen Stanley McChrystal made his assessment in a copy of a confidential report obtained by the Washington Post. |
| He recently called for a revised military strategy in Afghanistan, suggesting the current one is failing. | He recently called for a revised military strategy in Afghanistan, suggesting the current one is failing. |
| More than 30,000 extra US troops have been sent to Afghanistan since May - almost doubling the US contingent. | More than 30,000 extra US troops have been sent to Afghanistan since May - almost doubling the US contingent. |
| The number of US troops in Afghanistan is already set to rise to 68,000 by the end of the year. | The number of US troops in Afghanistan is already set to rise to 68,000 by the end of the year. |
| But in his latest assessment, Gen McChrystal is quoted by the Washington Post newspaper as saying: "Failure to gain the initiative and reverse insurgent momentum in the near-term [next 12 months] - while Afghan security capacity matures - risks an outcome where defeating the insurgency is no longer possible." | |
| He warned that "inadequate resources will likely result in failure". | |
| Gen McChrystal said that failure to provide adequate resources "also risks a longer conflict, greater casualties, higher overall costs, and ultimately, a critical loss of political support". | Gen McChrystal said that failure to provide adequate resources "also risks a longer conflict, greater casualties, higher overall costs, and ultimately, a critical loss of political support". |
| "Any of these risks, in turn, are likely to result in mission failure." | "Any of these risks, in turn, are likely to result in mission failure." |
| 'Losing support' | 'Losing support' |
| The newspaper says the report has been presented to the US Defence Secretary Robert Gates. | |
| Correspondents say US President Barack Obama will have to ponder the implications of devoting more resources to a conflict which opinion polls suggest is losing support among the American people. | Correspondents say US President Barack Obama will have to ponder the implications of devoting more resources to a conflict which opinion polls suggest is losing support among the American people. |
| Gen McChrystal has consistently called for a military strategy which makes its top priority the protection of the Afghan people against the Taliban. | Gen McChrystal has consistently called for a military strategy which makes its top priority the protection of the Afghan people against the Taliban. |
| In a report circulated among senior Nato and US officials last month, he said Afghans were undergoing a crisis of confidence because the war against the Taliban had not improved their lives. | In a report circulated among senior Nato and US officials last month, he said Afghans were undergoing a crisis of confidence because the war against the Taliban had not improved their lives. |
| But that report did not make any direct call for increasing troop numbers. | But that report did not make any direct call for increasing troop numbers. |