General David Petraeus warned yesterday that the west was facing a “critical moment” in Afghanistan as he assumed command of a 130,000-strong force that is suffering record casualties in its escalating war against the Taliban.
The US general faces the task of proving President Barack Obama's decision to nearly triple US troop numbers can salvage the war in spite of mounting insurgent violence and growing disenchantment with the conflict among Nato allies. “We are in this to win,” Gen Petraeus told western and Afghan officials gathered at a change-of-command ceremony at the Kabul headquarters of Isaf, the Nato-led force in Afghanistan. “We have arrived at a critical moment.”
Gen Petraeus takes over the force with only six months to show the US surge in Afghanistan is making progress ahead of a strategy review planned by the White House in December.