McKiernan Optimistic on Afghanistan

The top Coalition commander in Afghanistan, General David D. McKiernan, who leads more than 65,000 troops from about 40 foreign countries, including 33,000 Americans, stated that there had been “too many” reports in the media recently asserting that the foreign forces and their Afghan allies were losing the war.

He said:

I absolutely reject that idea, I don’t believe it,” the general said, adding: “It is true that there are many places in this country that don’t have an adequate level of security. We don’t have progress as even and as fast as any of us would like. But we are not losing in Afghanistan.

McKiernan stated that progress is being made and the Coalition is winning in Afghanistan.

This was a tussle about this in the Biden vs. Palin debate.

Biden stated:

The fact is that our commanding general in Afghanistan said today that a surge – the surge principles used in Iraq will not – well, let me say this again now – our commanding general in Afghanistan said the surge principle in Iraq will not work in Afghanistan, not Joe Biden, our commanding general in Afghanistan. He said we need more troops. We need government-building. We need to spend more money on the infrastructure in Afghanistan.

Biden seemed to downplay what McKiernan's actual assessment has been.

McKiernan had already clarified what he said in the Washington Post:

The word I don't use for Afghanistan is 'surge,' saying that what is required is a "sustained commitment" to a counterinsurgency effort that could last many years and would ultimately require a political, not military, solution.

McKiernan added in the Post that Afghanistan would need an infusion of American troops "as quickly as possible," i.e., a surge.