Washington: America's top diplomat in
Afghanistan on Tuesday said that no amount of progress in that
country could be considered noteworthy unless terrorist
sanctuaries in Pakistan are eliminated.
"The effort we're undertaking in Afghanistan is likely
to fall short of our strategic goals unless there is more
progress at eliminating the sanctuaries used by the Afghan
Taliban and their associates inside of Pakistan," US envoy to
Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry told lawmakers.
Appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee,
Eikenberry said developments in Pakistan would have a critical
impact on US efforts over the next year.
"The vast majority of enemy fighters our troops face
on the battlefield are local Afghans, fighting in their home
provinces or regions. But the Afghan Taliban and other
insurgents receive significant aid and direction from senior
leaders operating outside Afghanistan's borders," he said.
"The Afghan Taliban's leadership may employ those
sanctuaries, as they have in the past, to simply wait us out
and renew their attacks once our troops begin to go home.
Recognizing this, the Administration has emphasized the need
for a regional approach that deals with the interrelated
problems of Afghanistan and Pakistan and seeks to improve
relations between the two governments," he said.
Appearing before the same committee, General Stanley
McChrystal, Commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan,
said they face a complex and resilient insurgency.
"The Quetta shura Taliban, or Afghan Taliban, is the
prominent threat to the government of Afghanistan, as they
aspire to once again become the government of Afghanistan,” he
said.
The Haqqani and Hezb-i-Islami Gulbuddin insurgent
groups have more limited geographical reach and objectives,
but they are no less lethal.
"All three groups are supported to some degree by
external elements in Iran and Pakistan, have ties with al
Qaeda and coexist within narcotics and criminal networks both
fueling and feeding off instability and insecurity in the
region. The mission in Afghanistan is undeniably difficult,
and success will require steadfast commitment and incur
significant costs," he said.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, December 09, 2009, 00:01