The commander in charge of NATO and US forces in Afghanistan says that eight years after the attacks of 11 September 2001 al-Qaeda is much less present there. Speaking on Friday during a visit to The Hague, General Stanley McChrystal says he is considering the possibility of merging the anti-terrorist operation Enduring Freedom with NATO’s ISAF force.

• Listen to the interview with General McChrystal:

Generaal Stanley McChrystal was in the Netherlands for two days. On Thursday he met his German NATO boss, General Egon Ramms and other commanders of the NATO-led ISAF stabilisation force. On Friday he was in The Hague. He said he wasn’t there to talk about the possible extension of the Dutch military mission in Afghanistan. He said that’s a question for the politicians. But the ISAF commander praised the performance of Dutch troops in Uruzgan and the work of the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT).

“What I’ll say is I appreciate the commitment that the Dutch have made already. The PRT, the military forces that are involved in the work that they’ve done – both civilian and military – has been extraordinary. So, I let the politicians work the other aspects, but the performance thus far has been magnificent.”

Progress?
In The Hague, General McChrystal met with Dutch army chief General Peter van Uhm and with Development Cooperation Minister Bert Koenders. There was also a meeting with soldiers, media and experts. General McChrystal was appointed as Afghanistan’s new commander earlier this year. He stresses how hard it is to say whether things are getting better or worse. There is more violence and more Western soldiers are getting killed—but there are also signs of progress, according to the general:

“There are indicators that say it is deteriorating. I would have to point to levels of violence and numbers of casualties. But there are other indicators that also indicate progress. It’s a complex environment that can’t be boiled down to a single sentence or a single word. You have to take the whole picture together, put all those pieces together.”

Population
General McChrystal has drawn up a document about the situation in Afghanistan for NATO and his American commanders. Its content has not been revealed. It is clear, however, that General McChrystal thinks that the support of the Afghan population has to be won at all cost. That means no more arrogant behaviour by soldiers and no violence unless absolutely necessary.

Asked about potential negotiations with the Taliban, General McChrystal says such talks are a matter for the Afghan government, not for foreign troops. But he does welcome Taliban militants eager to turn their back on the movement:

“I think that if you talk below the level of talks or negotiations, you talk about offering Taliban commanders and fighters an opportunity to come back or to re-integrate into society under the Afghan constitution. I’m very supportive of that.”

ISAF-OEF
Eight years after the attacks of 11 September 2001, General McChrystal argues that al-Qaeda’s presence in Afghanistan is sporadic and scant. But he does admit that links between al-Qaeda, the Taliban and the Jalaluddin Haqqani network continue to exist.

“I do not see indications of a large al-Qaeda presence in Afghanistan now. We do see al-Qaeda presence from time to time. We do see a clear relationship between al-Qaeda and parts of the insurgents, particularly the Haqqani network But we also see linkages with the Taliban as well."

If al-Qaeda is much less active in Afghanistan, the Afghan part of Operation Enduring Freedom could merge with NATO’s ISAF force. General McChrystal says the move, which he supports, is being discussed. So far, however, he has made no final recommendation for such a merger.

Links:

ISAF
ISAF's Commander Counterinsurgency Guidance, August 2009
U.S. Forces - Afghanistan (Facebook)
 

RNW translation (cl)