Thursday
May132010
McChrystal Optimistic About Marja Despite Mounting Concerns
Thursday, May 13, 2010 at 1:51PM
General Stanley McChrystal, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, told reporters Thursday that despite growing concerns over the security situation in the village of Marja, the Taliban was significantly hobbled following February’s major U.S.-Afghan operation in the Helmand based community.
“They can’t come in and control Marja like they did before; they can’t raise the flag; they can’t hold terrain,” McChrystal said during a press briefing at the Pentagon. “There will always be some indication of insecurity, but increasingly security and life will get better and better.”
In February, McChrystal claimed that there was a “government in a box, ready to roll” into the village that had served as a Taliban stronghold for years. Several months later, the transfer of power to the Afghan government seems to be stalled amid intimidation and violence against the community from Taliban holdouts.
However, McChrystal contends that the Taliban’s behavior is a predictable response.
“As a counter-insurgency force pushes out insurgents, their smart move is to contest that, to undermine what we have done,” McChrystal said. “I expect them to contest this as long as they can … in any way that they can.”
U.S. and Afghan forces will soon shift focus to securing the Taliban inhabited city of Kandahar, a process that McChrystal described as a “unique challenge” that will likely not have a clear outcome until the end of the year.
“They can’t come in and control Marja like they did before; they can’t raise the flag; they can’t hold terrain,” McChrystal said during a press briefing at the Pentagon. “There will always be some indication of insecurity, but increasingly security and life will get better and better.”
In February, McChrystal claimed that there was a “government in a box, ready to roll” into the village that had served as a Taliban stronghold for years. Several months later, the transfer of power to the Afghan government seems to be stalled amid intimidation and violence against the community from Taliban holdouts.
However, McChrystal contends that the Taliban’s behavior is a predictable response.
“As a counter-insurgency force pushes out insurgents, their smart move is to contest that, to undermine what we have done,” McChrystal said. “I expect them to contest this as long as they can … in any way that they can.”
U.S. and Afghan forces will soon shift focus to securing the Taliban inhabited city of Kandahar, a process that McChrystal described as a “unique challenge” that will likely not have a clear outcome until the end of the year.
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