US to stay in Afghanistan beyond 2011

Sun, 30 May 2010 17:53:01 GMT

http://www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=128399&sectionid=351020403

The commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan says the war in the country will extend long beyond a deadline set by President Barack Obama.

General Stanley McChrystal made the remarks during a news conference in Kabul on Sunday.

"I think President Obama's decision to begin the reduction of US forces in 2011 really needs to be viewed in that context." Gen. McChrystal said.

This is while Obama has vowed to begin withdrawing US forces from Afghanistan in July 2011.

McChrystal also stressed that progress toward stability in the war-torn country will be slow. "Progress will be measured in months, rather than days," he said.

His comments come as the US military death toll in the Afghan conflict has passed the 1,000 mark.

And more casualties are expected as US forces prepare for a major offensive in Kandahar this summer.

US officials say the operation is aimed at defeating the Taliban and creating trust among the public for coalition forces.

The US-led invasion of Afghanistan was launched with the official objective of curbing militancy and bringing peace and stability to the country. Nine years on, however, Afghanistan remains unstable and civilians continue to pay the price.