NATO warns Afghan success not yet assured

NATO warns Afghan success not yet assured
By David Brunnstrom

BRUSSELS, June 11 (Reuters) - NATO warned on Friday of tough times ahead in Afghanistan and said success was not yet assured in its struggle against a widening Taliban insurgency.

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told a meeting of defence ministers of the 28 NATO states the alliance force in Afghanistan was facing fierce resistance from insurgents in the Taliban heartlands of Helmand and Kandahar provinces.

A statement by the ministers said military operations were making "measured progress" in extending the reach of the Afghan government and marginalising the insurgency. However, it added:


Rasmussen said NATO needed to step up its training effort to allow the start of a handover of security responsibility to Afghan forces, hopefully by the end of the year. But he said NATO's commitment would be long term.

Whether we leave tomorrow or five years from now, Afghanistan will revert to a cluster of tribal disputes and attempts by others to control the country very shortly. That pretty much goes without saying, although it's amazing how few understand that.

The only success will be success in leaving. The Afghanis will have no success. They never do.