Afghan leader: We need trainers, equipment

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, center, walks with Khowst Province Gov. Arsala Jamal, second from left, and Army Col. Martin Schweitzer, commander of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, on Dec. 4 in Khowst Province, Afghanistan.


Afghan leader: We need trainers, equipment
By Lolita C. Baldor - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Dec 4, 2007 15:25:03 EST

KABUL, Afghanistan — The Afghanistan military needs more trainers and equipment in order to gain control of the country’s security, President Hamid Karzai and his defense chief told Secretary of Defense Robert Gates on Tuesday.

Karzai said he was satisfied with the quality of training of the Afghan army, but he said he hoped that the U.S. and its NATO allies would expedite the delivery of air transportation and other assets, which could include planes and helicopters needed to fight al-Qaida and Taliban forces.

Gates, during a joint news conference with Karzai, said there is funding in the war supplemental request currently stalled in Congress, and he has repeatedly promised to continue pressing his NATO partners to meet their commitments to help Afghanistan.

Gates and other U.S. military commanders also agreed there are concerns about the increased violence in Afghanistan this year. And Maj. Gen. David Rodriguez confirmed that there have been indications of growing al-Qaida activity.

Noting the increase in suicide bombings — which were not a frequent problem three years ago — Rodriguez said, “We believe that it’s the violent extremists that are behind it,” including some who may be transferring the tactic from Iraq.

Gates said that while he is also concerned about the violence, “The consistent message I heard today from both American and Afghan military leaders ... was that an important reason for the increased violence is because there is a much more aggressive effort” by coalition forces to go after the Taliban.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/12/ap_afghanistan_071204/