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Date Posted: 14-May-2009
Jane's Defence Weekly
Demand for results in Afghanistan led to McKiernan's removal
Trefor Moss JDW Asia-Pacific Editor - London
Key Points
Pressure to produce quick progress in Afghanistan led to the removal of Gen McKiernan
The special operations experience of his nominated replacement, Gen McChrystal, should see an upsurge in US activity in the country
Mounting pressure on US leaders to produce quick results in Afghanistan led to the removal of General David McKiernan from the command of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, defence analysts have told Jane's .
With security still worsening in some areas of the country, General David Petraeus, the commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and President Barack Obama decided to hand the Afghan leadership to Lieutenant General Stanley McChrystal, the sources said, to re-energise US forces as Afghanistan enters a critical phase.
"There is pressure on Petraeus, Gates and Obama to produce results in Afghanistan in a shorter timeframe than has been looking likely," said Christopher Langton, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, citing growing concern in the US Congress about the perceived lack of progress there.
"Congress is reluctant to release more funds for Afghanistan unless it sees results," he said. "They see Afghanistan as a place where there have been few successes."
While some sources in Kabul told Jane's that Gen McKiernan was viewed as "an old-school soldier", few thought he was being replaced after just 11 months in charge because of any specific failings.
"McKiernan was doing a pretty good job, most people thought," said Seth Jones, a political scientist at the RAND Corporation. "But the situation in Afghanistan is really quite serious - the insurgency has been spreading in a range of areas. This is an effort to make a change and to light a fire in the US effort."
The surprise removal of Gen McKiernan appeared timed to install Gen McChrystal - whose appointment has yet to be confirmed by Congress - ahead of the arrival of most of the 21,000 additional troops pledged by Obama and in advance of the Afghan presidential election in August.
"It had more to do with the fighting season coming up and the elections and a feeling that McKiernan was not the right man to lead them into that, but it is wrong to suggest that McKiernan is leaving under a cloud," said Langton.
Gen McChrystal is expected to bring considerable special operations experience to the commander's role, thanks to his leadership from 2003 to 2008 of the Joint Special Operations Command, whose activities in Iraq led to the capture of Saddam Hussein and the elimination of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the head of Al-Qaeda in Iraq. However, some critics questioned Gen McChrystal's experience across the full range of counter-insurgency (COIN) operations.
"US special forces in Afghanistan have been encouraging a much more detailed, bottom-up approach to operations, especially in the east and the south - reaching out to the Pashtun tribes that are potentially anti-Taliban and encouraging local villages to defend themselves," said Jones.
Some officers had been complaining that "progress has been too slow" in these areas, he said, and it was hoped that the new commander could now accelerate these critical COIN efforts.
However, most observers agreed that combat operations would now intensify significantly over the coming months. "The tempo of operations is undoubtedly going to go up - he is someone who goes after people," Langton said.
General David McKiernan fell victim to growing pressure from US lawmakers for fast results in Afghanistan
Date Posted: 14-May-2009
Jane's Defence Weekly
Demand for results in Afghanistan led to McKiernan's removal
Trefor Moss JDW Asia-Pacific Editor - London
Key Points
Pressure to produce quick progress in Afghanistan led to the removal of Gen McKiernan
The special operations experience of his nominated replacement, Gen McChrystal, should see an upsurge in US activity in the country
Mounting pressure on US leaders to produce quick results in Afghanistan led to the removal of General David McKiernan from the command of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, defence analysts have told Jane's .
With security still worsening in some areas of the country, General David Petraeus, the commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and President Barack Obama decided to hand the Afghan leadership to Lieutenant General Stanley McChrystal, the sources said, to re-energise US forces as Afghanistan enters a critical phase.
"There is pressure on Petraeus, Gates and Obama to produce results in Afghanistan in a shorter timeframe than has been looking likely," said Christopher Langton, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, citing growing concern in the US Congress about the perceived lack of progress there.
"Congress is reluctant to release more funds for Afghanistan unless it sees results," he said. "They see Afghanistan as a place where there have been few successes."
While some sources in Kabul told Jane's that Gen McKiernan was viewed as "an old-school soldier", few thought he was being replaced after just 11 months in charge because of any specific failings.
"McKiernan was doing a pretty good job, most people thought," said Seth Jones, a political scientist at the RAND Corporation. "But the situation in Afghanistan is really quite serious - the insurgency has been spreading in a range of areas. This is an effort to make a change and to light a fire in the US effort."
The surprise removal of Gen McKiernan appeared timed to install Gen McChrystal - whose appointment has yet to be confirmed by Congress - ahead of the arrival of most of the 21,000 additional troops pledged by Obama and in advance of the Afghan presidential election in August.
"It had more to do with the fighting season coming up and the elections and a feeling that McKiernan was not the right man to lead them into that, but it is wrong to suggest that McKiernan is leaving under a cloud," said Langton.
Gen McChrystal is expected to bring considerable special operations experience to the commander's role, thanks to his leadership from 2003 to 2008 of the Joint Special Operations Command, whose activities in Iraq led to the capture of Saddam Hussein and the elimination of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the head of Al-Qaeda in Iraq. However, some critics questioned Gen McChrystal's experience across the full range of counter-insurgency (COIN) operations.
"US special forces in Afghanistan have been encouraging a much more detailed, bottom-up approach to operations, especially in the east and the south - reaching out to the Pashtun tribes that are potentially anti-Taliban and encouraging local villages to defend themselves," said Jones.
Some officers had been complaining that "progress has been too slow" in these areas, he said, and it was hoped that the new commander could now accelerate these critical COIN efforts.
However, most observers agreed that combat operations would now intensify significantly over the coming months. "The tempo of operations is undoubtedly going to go up - he is someone who goes after people," Langton said.
General David McKiernan fell victim to growing pressure from US lawmakers for fast results in Afghanistan
