New British Army Chief Says Afghan Success Vital

General David Richards
The new head of the British army says success in Afghanistan is vitaland the outcome of the conflict there will have a profound effect ongeo politics. The general who is about to take command of Britain's 9,000 troops in Afghanistan says it's imperative thatinternational forces show the Afghan population signs of positivechange soon.

GeneralDavid Richards says Afghanistan is the British military's main focus.He says the conflict should not be seen a blueprint for the future, butthat it offers opportunities for the British forces to grow and adaptto 21st century challenges. Success in Afghanistan he says is a grandstrategic issue for Britain.

"It is vital to our domesticsecurity that we do not allow Afghanistan to once again become anexporter of al Qaida inspired terrorism or give such people a victorythat could inspire a much bigger threat still," said the general.

He says the Taliban only have the support of about five percent of the Afghan people.

"Over80 percent of the Afghan population still doggedly want theirgovernment and the international community to succeed, although theirpatience with our failure to meet the expectations of progress weironically have done much to create is flagging," said General Richards.

Thenext commander of British forces in Afghanistan, Major General NickCarter, told British radio that he understands that he will have to actquickly to keep the Afghan people on his side.  

"We don't havethe luxury of time, but 18 months ago there were probably 1,500American soldiers in the south, there are now 25,000 and there's anawful lot more resources coming into the south as well and with thisamount of effort I think that we do have an opportunity during thecourse of the next year to make a difference, but I absolutelyacknowledge that time is not on our side," he said.
 
StillGeneral Carter is optimistic that NATO forces will prevail inAfghanistan. "I think that it will happen slowly, but my goodness methere will be a tipping point when the population will suddenly realizethat it's better to be with its government institutions rather thanwith the insurgent," he said.
 
General Richards is optimistictoo. He says his forces know the ingredients for success inAfghanistan, but as in Iraq, it may take a little time to find thecorrect formula for success. That, he says, would be a stabilizedcountry able to manage its own security.