'US Needs Fresh Strategy In Afghanistan'

A top US general in Afghanistan has called for a revised military strategy, suggesting the current one is failing.

In a strategic assessment, Gen. Stanley McChrystal said that while the Afghan situation was serious, success was still achievable.

The report has yet not been published, but sources say Gen. McChrystal sees protecting the Afghan people against the Taliban as the top priority.

'The situation in Afghanistan is serious, but success is achievable and demands a revised implementation strategy, commitment and resolve, and increased unity of effort,' Gen. McChrystal said in the assessment.

Copies of the document have been sent to Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and US Defence Secretary Robert Gates.

The report came as further results from last week's presidential election were expected to be released, at 1230 GMT. President Hamid Karzai is leading so far.

The independent Electoral Complaints Commission said of the more than 2,100 allegations of wrongdoing during voting and vote-counting, 618 have been deemed serious enough to affect the election's outcome, if proven.

This report does not mention increasing troop numbers — that is for another report later in the year - but the hints are all there.

But when General McChrystal's report lands on President Obama's desk he will have to ponder the implications of increasing a commitment to a conflict which opinion polls suggest is losing support among the American people.

The latest Washington Post-ABC news poll suggests that only 49 per cent of Americans now think the fight in Afghanistan is worth it.

In a recent BBC interview, Gen. McChrystal said that he was changing the whole approach to the conflict in Afghanistan — from what he described as a focus on 'body count', to enabling the Afghans to get rid of the Taliban themselves.

Last Saturday, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown promised more support for UK troops in Afghanistan, during a surprise visit to the country.

During the visit, he met Gen. McChrystal. Correspondents said the pair discussed the need to speed up the pace of training of Afghan troops.

—BBC