The Secretary General of NATO, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, said yesterday that he agreed with Gen. Stanley McChrystal about the conditions on the ground in Afghanistan — though he did not express specific agreement with the general’s recommendation of more combat troops to carry out counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations. From the AP:
Noting dwindling public support for the war, Rasmussen said he wants NATO to forge a new contract with Afghanistan that promises aid only if the Kabul-based government curbs corruption and delivers basic services to the Afghan people. He called on the United Nations and other international groups to work more closely with Kabul, in part to help certify the results of the Aug. 20 elections.