Top US commander says more troops needed in Afghanistan - washingtonpost

WASHINGTON — The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan said Thursday he needs a “few thousand” more troops to better accomplish an integral part of the mission, and he complained that Russian meddling is complicating the counterterrorism fight.

Gen. John Nicholson didn’t provide the Senate Armed Services Committee with an exact number of additional forces, but said they could come from the United States or other countries in the American-led coalition in Afghanistan, where the war is now in its 16th year. He said they are necessary to properly train and advise the Afghan military and perform work now handled at greater cost by contractors.

Nicholson said he had discussed troop levels with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Nicholson said he believes the Trump administration will be open to a level based on requirements, rather than a predetermined figure. Republicans criticized President Barack Obama for trying, in their view, to cut the number too sharply before he left office Jan. 20.

But the idea of sending more Americans to the war zone may not go over well with a public frustrated by the length and cost of the conflict.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., citing figures from the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction, said the war is costing U.S. taxpayers $13 million a day.

Nicholson also disclosed that a U.S. special forces soldier was “severely wounded” in fighting Thursday in Sangin, the Taliban heartland in southern Afghanistan.

He gave an example of how additional forces would be used. Nicholson said that because of troop level limits, the aviation brigade that deployed to Afghanistan was able to bring its helicopters, pilots and staff, but had to leave its mechanics behind at Fort Riley in Kansas. Contractors were hired instead at a cost of “tens of millions of dollars,” forcing the soldier mechanics to sit at home, he said, and affecting the Army unit’s readiness.

Nicholson said there is a 2-1 ratio of contractors to troops in Afghanistan.

In response to a question from Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., Nicholson said he doesn’t have enough troops to provide proper oversight of all those contractors.

Nicholson contended that Russia has been publicly legitimizing the Taliban by claiming that the militants are fighting Islamic terrorists while the Afghan government is not. He called that a “false narrative” and argued that Moscow’s goal is to undermine the United States and NATO in Afghanistan.

Despite Moscow’s overtures, Nicholson said many Afghans don’t view Russia favorably, dating to the Soviet invasion and occupation of Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989.

Nicholson described the security situation in Afghanistan as a “stalemate.”

“Can we win?” asked Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

Yes, Nicholson said. He described victory as a stable, centralized Afghan government and destruction of al-Qaida and IS.

Leaving before then means it’s “just a matter of time” before terrorists launch another attack on the United States from safe havens in Afghanistan, he said  - Read More

Top US commander says more troops needed in Afghanistan - The ...