US general warns over Afghan war

--BBC--

Gen McChrystal commanded US Special Forces in Iraq The general nominated as the next US commander in Afghanistan says the war against insurgents may be lost unless civilian casualties are reduced. Gen Stanley McChrystal said civilian deaths caused by US and Nato-led forces could alienate the Afghan people. "This may be the critical point," the general told US senators. Meanwhile, the New York Times reported that a military inquiry had concluded that errors were made when US bombed Taliban fighters in Afghanistan in May. "... American personnel made significant errors in carrying out some of the airstrikes in western Afghanistan on May 4 that killed dozens of Afghan civilians," the report said, citing an unnamed senior US military official. Civilian casualties are causing mounting public outrage in Afghanistan and are causing friction between the US and Afghan governments. Change in strategy Gen McChrystal, currently the director of US Joint Chiefs of Staff, was named last month to replace Gen David McKiernan and is currently undergoing confirmation hearings in the US Senate. The issue of Afghan civilian deaths is very sensitive His appointment comes as the US boosts troops numbers in Afghanistan and prepares for a change in strategy. Gen McKiernan's time as US commander in Afghanistan has coincided with a surge in violence. US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said his replacement would bring "fresh thinking, fresh eyes" to the problem. On Tuesday, Gen McChrystal told senators: "If defeating an insurgent formation produces popular resentment, the victory is hollow and unsustainable." He added: "This is a critical point. It may be the critical point. This is a struggle for the support of the Afghan people. "Our willingness to operate in ways that minimise casualties or damage - even when doing so makes our task more difficult - is essential to our credibility," he said. "With the appropriate resources, time, sacrifice, and patience, we can prevail." Gen McChrystal warned that Afghanistan would descend back into civil war and al-Qaeda would use the country as a base if the United States and its allies failed in their mission. Compound struck The New York Times said the report on the 4 May strikes represented "the clearest American acknowledgment of fault in connection with the attacks". The Afghan government says 140 people were killed in the attacks, while the Americans say 20-30 people died. The newspaper quoted a senior US official as saying that had the rules of engagement been followed strictly, some of the strikes would have been aborted. In one case, a compound of buildings where suspected militants were massing was struck, even though it was in a densely populated area, and there was no imminent threat, the paper said.