'Tough year' ahead in Afghanistan: US general

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Even with an additional 17,000 troops in Afghanistan, the top US commander there predicted "a tough year" in 2009 and said the fight against insurgents would require a major commitment of up to four years.

General David McKiernan, who commands US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, spoke a day after President Barack Obama approved the deployment in coming months of 17,000 troops, increasing the current US force by about 50 percent.

"Even with these additional forces, I have to tell you, 2009 is going to be a tough year," McKiernan told reporters at the Pentagon.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090218...zT_OFs5z4EtbAF


because a dem is now president, the left will be silent on the timeline issue...how sad they politicize wars and cause failure.