President Barack Obama's Afghan withdrawal date bolsters enemy says General

Afghan withdrawal date bolsters enemy says General
By Phil Stewart and Sue Pleming, Reuters



President Barack Obama's July 2011 date to start withdrawing troops from Afghanistan has given a morale boost to Taliban insurgents, who believe they can wait out Nato forces, the top US Marine said yesterday.

But retiring General James Conway said he believed Marines would not be in a position to withdraw from the fight in southern Afghanistan for years, even though he acknowledged that Americans were growing "tired" of the 9-year-old war.

Conway's unusually blunt assessment is likely to fan criticism of Obama's war strategy ahead of US congressional elections in November, as public opinion of the conflict sours further and casualties rise.

"In some ways, we think right now it is probably giving our enemy sustenance," Conway, the Marine Corps' commandant, said of the July 2011 deadline.

"In fact we've intercepted communications that say, 'Hey, you know, we only need to hold out for so long.'"

Supporters of Obama's July 2011 date to start withdrawing forces from Afghanistan, conditions permitting, say it conveys a needed sense of urgency to Kabul. Afghans must quickly ramp up the size of their security forces for a gradual handover.

But critics say the strategy backfired, sending a signal to the Taliban that the United States was preparing to wind down the war while setting unrealistic expectations among Americans about the pace of progress in Afghanistan.

Conway, quoting one of his own commanders, told reporters: "We can either lose fast or win slow."

The timetable for withdrawal is certain to come under close scrutiny in a White House strategy review in December, which Obama called for last year when he announced the July 2011 deadline and 30,000 additional forces.

"We know the president was talking to several audiences at the same time when he made his comments on July 2011," Conway told reporters at the Pentagon.

"Though I certainly believe that some American units somewhere in Afghanistan will turn over responsibilities to Afghanistan security forces in 2011, I do not think they will be Marines."

Violence across Afghanistan has reached record levels despite the presence of almost 150,000 US and Nato troops. US and Nato forces have also stepped up operations after the Taliban insurgency spread out of the South and East into once relatively peaceful areas of the North and West.

Coppied by http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/afghan-withdrawal-date-bolsters-enemy-says-general-2061387.html

General who planned Gaza war appointed army chief

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MARK WEISS in Jerusalem

DEFENCE MINISTER Ehud Barak has appointed Maj Gen Yoav Galant, the head of the army’s southern command, as Israel’s new military chief of staff.

Maj Gen Galant (52) is a former head of Israel’s naval commando unit. As head of southern command, he masterminded the 22-day war in Gaza in the winter of 2008-2009.

The cabinet is expected to approve the appointment next week and Gen Galant will take up the post early next year.

Top of his agenda will be the possibility of an Israeli military strike to prevent Iran acquiring a nuclear bomb.

The defence minister’s selection of the new military commander was put on hold earlier this month because of what was dubbed the “Galant document” – a memo allegedly written by Maj Gen Galant to smear other top generals contending for the job.

But a police investigation determined last week that the document was a fake and Maj Gen Galant had nothing to do with it.

Also yesterday, Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu vowed that the 10-month freeze on West Bank settlement construction would end on September 26th.

Pressed on the issue by ministers from his ruling Likud party, Mr Netanyahu said there has been no change in his position that the moratorium will not be renewed when the 10-month period expires next month.

Mr Netanyahu leads a largely right-wing and religious coalition which is committed to Jewish settlement across the West Bank. He warned extending the 10-month moratorium would endanger the future of his government.

Two moderate ministers have proposed a compromise under which building will only continue in the larger West Bank settlement blocs – areas which Israel hopes to incorporate under a final peace agreement.

Such a policy, which is likely to meet stiff opposition from other ministers, is similar to that adopted by the previous Israeli government headed by Ehud Olmert.

Despite the difficulties, Mr Netanyahu declared that the optimistic target set by US secretary of state Hilary Clinton for reaching a comprehensive peace deal within a year was possible.

He said compromises would be required from both sides.

The prime minister said any deal must provide real security for Israel and a solution to the refugee problem within a future Palestinian state, and include Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, and an “end of conflict” clause.

Coppied by http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2010/0823/1224277380241.html

Ban releases rival, independent reports on Gaza conflict

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UNITED NATIONS: Secretary General Ban Ki-moon late Wednesday released the results of Israeli and Palestinian investigations into alleged war crimes during the conflict in Gaza in the winter of 2008-2009 which did not appear to include any input from Gaza’s Hamas rulers.

Ban introduced the 247-page report with brief observations that made no comment on the submissions by Israel or the Palestinians that were requested by the General Assembly.

He said it was important to respect international human rights and humanitarian law and voiced hope that “steps will be taken wherever there are credible allegations of violations.”

Last November, the UN gave Israel and the Palestinians three months to undertake “independent, credible investigations” into the findings of a UN-appointed expert panel, chaired by South African Judge Richard Goldstone.

In February, it gave both sides an additional five months to conduct their inquiries.

The 575-page Goldstone report concluded that both sides committed war crimes and possible crimes against humanity during the Gaza war, in which 13 Israelis and almost 1,400 Palestinians were killed, including many civilians.

It said Israel used disproportionate force, deliberately targeted civilians, used Palestinians as human shields, and destroyed civilian infrastructure during its three-week incursion into the Gaza Strip from December 27, 2008, to January 18, 2009, to root out Palestinian rocket squads. It accused Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas, of deliberately targeting civilians and trying to spread terror through rocket attacks on southern Israel.

Both sides rejected the charges when the Goldstone report was issued, and their positions remained unchanged in the newly released reports.


The General Assembly resolution warned of possible “further action” by UN bodies, including the Security Council, if both sides didn’t conduct independent and credible investigations. Whether the assembly plans any follow-up to Wednesday’s report remains to be seen.

Human Rights Watch called on governments and the UN to maintain pressure on Israel and Hamas to conduct thorough and impartial investigations, and to provide justice to victims of abuses.

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