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McChrystal: Building Afghan forces is priority

KABUL — The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan said early Wednesday that NATO and U.S. forces will hand over the responsibility of securing Afghanistan to the nation’s own security forces “as rapidly as conditions allow.”

Gen. Stanley McChrystal, in a statement issued in Kabul just before President Barack Obama formally announced he was sending 30,000 more U.S. troops to the war, said his main focus will be to develop the capacity of Afghanistan’s army and police.

“We will work toward improved security for Afghanistan and the transfer of responsibility to Afghan security forces as rapidly as conditions allow,” said McChrystal, who planned to fly around Afghanistan to visit U.S. and international forces. “In the meantime, our Afghan partners need the support of coalition forces while we grow and develop the capacity of the Afghan army and police. That will be the main focus of our campaign in the months ahead.”

In his speech at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., Obama said that while the U.S. and international community will continue to advise and assist Afghanistan, “It will be clear to the Afghan government — and more importantly, to the Afghan people — that they will ultimately be responsible for their own country.”

Obama and McChrystal cautioned, however, that success in Afghanistan will be achieved only through efforts that match military and security force training with governance and economic development aid that can sustain long-term stability.

“The concerted commitment of the international community will prevail in bringing real change to Afghanistan — a secure and stable environment that allows for effective governance, improved economic opportunity and the freedom of every Afghan to choose how they live,” McChrystal said.