Since we can't upload sound files, a picture will have to suffice.

[Contrary1]

U.S. commander: Afghan forces insufficient

Obama strategy may need more funds, U.S. troops, say military officials

"Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the newly arrived top commander in Afghanistan, has concluded that the Afghan security forces will have to be far larger than currently planned if President Obama's strategy for winning the war is to succeed, according to senior military officials.

Such an expansion would require spending billions more than the $7.5 billion the administration has budgeted annually to build up the Afghan army and police over the next several years, and the likely deployment of thousands more U.S. troops as trainers and advisers, officials said.

Obama has voiced strong commitment to the ongoing Afghan conflict -- which this year surpasses Vietnam as America's longest combat engagement -- but has been cautious about making any additional military resources available beyond the 17,000 combat troops and 4,000 military trainers he agreed to in February. That will bring the total U.S. force to 68,000 by fall.

Instead, Obama has emphasized the need to pay equal attention to other aspects of the U.S. effort, including bolstering Afghanistan's economy and governance. Announcement of any additional military resources this year would raise questions from Congress and the American public about whether his overall strategy is working as intended..."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31858268/ns/world_news-washington_post/

[leftstreet]

1. K&R

[sandnsea]

2. McChrystal: "terror is a tactic"

“What I learned is that much of the terrorism we fought years ago was very small groups that were finite. They were fanatical, and they could be attacked that way,” he said. “Nowadays, we have to fight the cause of terrorism, because terror is a tactic. You win by taking away from the enemy the one thing the insurgent absolutely has to have, and that’s access to the population.”

Hunting terrorists still has a place in the war in Afghanistan, McChrystal said, but the overall effort requires a mix of aggression and rebuilding. “I very much lean toward the importance of the building side,” he said.

The population needs to be safe so they can build an economy, build good governance and develop an infrastructure, the general explained. That gives the people something they want to continue and something they want to protect, so “the insurgent, then, becomes a troublemaker,” he said.

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=54846

[sandnsea]

3. McChrystal: new directive to limit force

"Specifically, the directive calls on commanders “to scrutinize and limit the use of force like close air support against residential compounds and other locations likely to produce civilian casualties.” Bombing residential compounds will be allowed only under very limited conditions, the directive says. For example, if a coalition force comes in contact with Taliban fighters and the enemy takes cover in a residential compound, the NATO force can break contact and wait out the enemy rather than calling for close-air support.

Another portion of the directive states that any search of Afghan homes will be done by Afghan security forces with the support of local authorities.

“No ISAF forces will enter or fire upon, or fire into a mosque or any religious or historical site except in self-defense,” McChrystal wrote in the directive. “All searches and entries for any other reason will be conducted by the Afghan National Security Forces.”

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=55023

[laststeamtrain]

4. K & R - n/t