Kabul: President Hamid Karzai told visiting
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates on Tuesday that Afghanistan would
need aid to fund its security forces for up to 20 more years,
calling for a long-term US commitment.
The newly re-elected Karzai said his government would
work to assume responsibility for Afghanistan's security
within five years, but that the impoverished country lacked
the funds to foot the entire bill.
Gates, who held talks with Karzai on implementing a new
war strategy that involves sending 30,000 extra US troops to
fight the Taliban, reiterated that the United States intended
to start withdrawing its forces from July 2011.
"For 15 to 20 years, Afghanistan will not be able to
sustain a force of that nature and capability with its own
resources," Karzai told a news conference.
"We hope that the international community and the United
States, as our first ally, will help Afghanistan reach the
ability to sustain a force."
US President Barack Obama's plan to start withdrawing
troops in July 2011 has sparked concern in Afghanistan and
neighbouring Pakistan that the Taliban could sit out the surge
and attack a pared down force in 18 months' time.
Karzai said Afghan forces hoped to assume responsibility
in critical areas in another two years and "hopefully with a
maximum effort to add on the whole of the country... in five
years time".
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, December 09, 2009, 00:11