US commander: troops 'stalemated' in S Afghanistan

U.S. and allied forces in southern Afghanistan are "at best stalemated" with a resilient and adaptable insurgency, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan said Wednesday. Gen. David McKiernan told a Pentagon news conference that he welcomed the White House's decision to send more combat troops, but cautioned that fighting will be difficult in the months ahead. "Even with these additional forces, I have to tell you that 2009 is going to be tough year," he said. President Barack Obama on Tuesday approved the dispatching of 17,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan to stabilize what he called a deteriorating situation. They include an Army combat brigade and a Marine expeditionary brigade and will join the approximately 30,000 U.S. troops already there. "What this allows us to do is change the dynamics of the security situation, predominantly in southern Afghanistan, where we are at best stalemated," the general said. McKiernan said the extra Army and Marine forces will have counterinsurgency capability but also be ready to conduct training with Afghan police forces. He said they will be sent to southern Afghanistan, where he said there have been insufficient security forces to confront the insurgents. McKiernan said the extra troops would be sufficient for what he believes needs to be done through summer, when the fighting tends to be heaviest. He described the Obama decision as meeting about two-thirds of his overall needs in combat capability over the coming three to five years. The White House has said it will not make further decisions about its next moves in Afghanistan until it has completed a strategic review of the war, in tandem with the Afghan government. McKiernan said that in addition to extra combat forces, more international civilian contributions are needed in order to stabilize the country. McKiernan said it is possible that he will be less reliant on air power, with the addition of more ground troops. Air strikes have been blamed for civilian casualties that have angered the Afghan population.