NATO top commander urges greater role in counter-narcotic in Afghaninstan
25/9/2008 17:20
NATO Supreme Allied Commander General John Craddock wrapped up a three-day
trip to Afghanistan today and urged the International Security Assistance Force
(ISAF) to increase its role in fighting narcotics, an ISAF press briefing
received in Kabul said.
During the visit, General Craddock received an
operational update at the ISAF Headquarters in Afghan capital Kabul and traveled
to Regional Command West in western Afghan province of Herat, followed by a
brief stop at a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Farah province, the press
release said.
Craddock explained his recent push to increase ISAF's role in
counter-narcotics in an interview with media traveling with his party, it
said.
"As an interim measure, I've asked for expanded authority from NATO to
permit ISAF attack of drug laboratories and drug trafficking facilities, not the
farmers," it quoted Craddock as saying.
Additionally, Craddock explained that
some nations are concerned that this increased role might cause the traffickers
and insurgents to attack NATO forces more ferociously.
However, the top NATO
commander was convinced ISAF must be able to carry out these types of operations
and was optimistic that the North Atlantic Council would approve his
request.
"The fact is the soldiers, airmen, sailors and Marines of NATO are
being killed because of the money being generated from this industry," he
noted.
"As a commander I cannot let this continue without doing everything I
can to stop it. This is the best measure we can give our forces for the best
opportunity to come home safe and sound," he added.
Around 71,000 foreign
troops have been being deployed respectively under the leadership of ISAF and
the US-led Coalition forces in war-torn Afghanistan to which long-term military
existing and reinforcement have been promised.
Xinhua
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