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Petraeus Touts Afghanistan Gains, Worries About Follow-Up

VOA News March 15, 2011

The top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan says his forces are making enough progress to begin withdrawing some troops in July.

General David Petraeus told U.S. lawmakers on the Senate Armed Services Committee the recent troop surge has pushed back the Taliban in key areas, calling the progress significant.

But he also repeated warnings that the gains are fragile and that momentum could be lost without adequate funding for civilian rebuilding efforts.

The general warned a lack of funding for civilian rebuilding programs could "jeopardize" security gains made by NATO troops.

Some U.S. lawmakers have expressed concern about the Obama administration's plan to start pulling troops out of Afghanistan before Afghan forces are ready to take the lead on security.

Petraeus told the committee any troop withdrawals would be based on conditions on the ground, and that some U.S. and NATO troops would be shifted to less secure areas.

Petraeus and Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Michelle Flournoy called on Pakistan to do more to contain insurgents along the volatile border region. But Petraeus also praised Pakistan for increased cooperation in recent months.

The general said there is a growing recognition in Pakistan that allowing terrorists and other insurgents to have safe haven on its side of the border will eventually hurt Islamabad.

Petraeus also said the U.S. was seeing evidence of Iran's influence in the region. He said there is evidence Iran is shipping weapons to the Taliban and is using other political means to influence the region.

Petraeus' testimony comes one day after he briefed U.S. President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates on the situation in Afghanistan.

The White House said they discussed the effectiveness of the military surge in Afghanistan, the growth of the Afghan National Security Forces and President Hamid Karzai's expected March 21 announcement on beginning a transition to Afghan security taking the lead.

The meeting, which was closed to reporters, follows new tensions between Washington and Kabul over the accidental killing of nine Afghan boys during a coalition air strike in northeastern Kunar province earlier this month.

President Obama, Secretary Gates and General Petraeus apologized for the deaths, calling them a setback for relations with the Afghan people.

Karzai called the deaths unacceptable and urged an end to civilian casualties.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.