Robert Gates Opposes Reliance on Air Power in Afghan War

WASHINGTON: US Defence Secretary Robert Gates says the current review of U.S. and NATO strategy in Afghanistan should remain private, and that the military will do whatever the president orders. But in a speech in Washington, he also repeated his opposition to an approach advocated by some officials that would rely more on air power.

Secretary Gates told a U.S. Army convention that Afghanistan has been on a “worrisome trajectory” with violence up 60 percent compared to last year. He said U.S. troops fighting terrorism around the world are facing “increasingly battle-hardened and lethal enemies.”

The secretary told the gathering that the decisions President Barack Obama will make in the coming weeks “will be among the most important of his presidency,” and he needs to take the time to get the decisions right.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Monday the president is not considering a full troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. The addition of 21,000 troops President Obama approved earlier this year, and more aggressive operations against the Taliban and related groups, resulted in a sharp rise in U.S. casualties in recent months, including 16 killed in the first few days of October. That’s the same number killed in all of October last year.

Senior commanders have recommended continuing the counterinsurgency approach, focusing on ground operations and requiring a further increase of U.S. troops. But Secretary Gates says whatever the president decides, the military will comply.

The secretary has joined military commanders in criticizing proposals to make more use of air strikes to target terrorist leaders in Afghanistan, and to limit ground operations in order to reduce casualties and avoid the need to send more troops.

Secretary Gates will join President Obama and other senior civilian and military leaders at two lengthy White House meetings this week to continue discussing the way forward in Afghanistan. Officials say there will be at least two more meetings after that, and they expect the president to decide how to proceed within a few weeks.