WASHINGTON : It would be irresponsible to send more troops to Afghanistan until a legitimate and credible government is in place, the White House and top Democrats said on Sunday.
White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel said the most critical issue facing US strategy is whether the Afghans can be an effective partner in destroying al Qaeda safe havens and bringing stability to the region.
"It would be reckless to make a decision on US troop levels if in fact you haven't done a thorough analysis of whether in fact there's an Afghan partner ready to fill that space that US troops would create and become a true partner in governing," Emanuel said in an interview Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union."
Emanuel stressed that the central question is "not how much troops you have but whether in fact there's an Afghan partner."
As the White House faces mounting pressure in implementing a viable strategy in the 8-year-old war, the outcome of Afghanistan's Aug. 20 presidential election remains in question because of reported ballot fraud. Afghan President Hamid Karzai declared victory, but a runoff election with his closest challenger is now a possibility.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., reiterated the need for a clear commitment from the Afghans before Obama agrees to send more US troops.
"It would be entirely irresponsible for the president of the United States to commit more troops to this country when we don't even have an election finished and know who the president is and what kind of government we're working with," Kerry told CNN.
Kerry said Obama and key White House advisers must assess what the Afghan government will be able to deliver and how they are able to assist "with respect to their army" before the president decides to send additional troops to fight.
Kerry dismissed criticism that Obama's deliberations on additional troops are a sign of indecision or weakness.
source:www.aaj.tv
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