Obama turns Afghan war into American fight
US lawmakers tell Obama Iran engagement 'cannot be open-ended'
Top US lawmakers urged President Barack Obama in a letter Friday to open talks with Iran "as soon as possible," but warned they must yield quick results on the West's nuclear dispute with Tehran. "Engagement must be serious and credible, but it cannot be open-ended," the group, which included chairman of key House committees, wrote in the letter amid growing signs of Washington outreach to the Islamic republic. The lawmakers said the central goal of any talks must be to get Iran to verifiably suspend uranium enrichment -- a possible prelude to a nuclear weapon -- "within at most a few months of the initiation of discussions." They said US outreach "cannot be deferred" until after Iran's June presidential elections and said Washington and its allies must be prepared to impose a range of painful economic sanctions in Iran pursues enrichment. "We urge that the talks begin as soon as possible, so that we will have the earliest possible indication of whether they will succeed in halting Iran's nuclear program," they wrote in the message. Obama must be prepared to consider moves like slapping sanctions on Iran's central bank, punishing international banks that do business with Iranian banks, targeting energy firms that invest in Iran's oil and gas sector, and closing US ports to shipping companies that call on Iranian ports. US allies "should be prepared to prohibit Iranian banks from operating on their territory and to cease allowing Iran to conduct international financial transactions in Euros, pounds, and yen," the lawmakers wrote. US allies must also stop providing export credits to firms seeking to do business in Iran, and bar exports of refined petroleum and catalytic converters to the Islamic republic, they said. The seven lawmakers also urged Obama to "make Iran a matter of the highest priority in our relations with Russia and China. The group included Democratic House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, as well as the Democratic chairmen of the House Foreign Affairs, Armed Services, and Intelligence Committees. "If we truly mean that Iran cannot be allowed to possess nuclear weapons, urgent action is required today. We must use the time available to us to begin engagement and to convince the Iranians of our seriousness of purpose. Otherwise, we will face far more difficult decisions in the future," they said. |
by Staff Writers
Washington (AFP) March 27, 2009
President Barack Obama's new Afghan strategy will make the war an American fight more than ever, with US troops and civilians far outnumbering their counterparts from NATO.
Obama's plan unveiled Friday calls for thousands of additional US troops as well as hundreds of civilians to deploy across Afghanistan in a bid to stem a spreading insurgency that NATO-led forces have struggled to contain.
From US soldiers securing roads to agricultural experts working with Afghan farmers, the international effort will have an increasingly American imprint, experts say.
By the end of the summer, the size of the US military contingent will roughly double to more than 60,000 troops, eclipsing the 32,000 other foreign troops now stationed there.
"Troops bring more influence in coalition warfare," Stephen Biddle, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, told AFP.
"If the US produces a larger and larger proportion to the total effort, US influence relative to the other coalition players is going to increase, both in the country as a whole and in the specific places where the troops are going."
The US military already has had a dominant role as only a handful of NATO allies, including British, Dutch, French and Canadian forces, have been willing to send troops to combat in the volatile southern and eastern provinces, where the Taliban and its allies have stepped up attacks.
Next year, a US general will take over NATO command of the southern region, reinforcing US leadership as it tries to stem rising violence.
"Simple math says we are a bigger share of the coalition now, and when militaries work together, that inevitably means something," said Michael O'Hanlon of the Brookings Institution.
But he said the international force remained vital, and that the United States would still need to cooperate with its allies to improve sometimes disjointed military and civilian efforts.
"We need better coordination, which can't happen by American diktat," said O'Hanlon. "It's not an American war."
Former president George W. Bush was accused of abandoning the Afghan conflict to launch the controversial invasion of Iraq, and Obama made clear that Washington would now fully invest its power in the Afghan mission.
By demonstrating a fresh American commitment, US officials hope their European allies will be more willing to offer civilian assistance.
Washington has long voiced disappointment with European allies for declining to contribute more troops to Afghanistan and in some cases -- such as Germany -- placing restrictions on how and where their troops can operate.
The Obama administration has dropped appeals for more troop commitments from Europe and instead called on NATO members to offer civilian expertise and development aid.
Obama's plan won praise in European capitals on Friday, with foreign ministers saying they were ready to help increase civilian efforts in Afghanistan and economic aid for Pakistan.
The emphasis on Pakistan's role in Obama's strategy would "strike a very strong chord with the Europeans," British Foreign Secretary David Milliband said.
The American stamp on the war will also mean Obama will have to take the credit or blame for the outcome, both at home and abroad.
"With influence comes responsibility," Biddle said. "If things go badly, it will unambiguously be our doing."
But he said US commanders on the ground, who have long insisted the mission lacked sufficient troops and resources, would welcome the change.
"I think they would much rather have responsibility for the outcome and the resources to do it right," Biddle said.
In presenting his strategy, Obama offered reassurance that the war would not be a unilateral US endeavor and appealed to NATO allies for civilian expertise.
"As America does more, we will ask others to join us in doing their part," Obama said.
The US president also said he wanted to see the United Nations play a stronger role, characterizing the Afghan war as a test of international will to rally against a common threat.
"That was the founding cause of NATO six decades ago. That must be our common purpose today."
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