Commander speaks on NATO success

KABUL, Afghanistan, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- The commander of the NATO-led forces in Afghanistan commended the anti-insurgency operation but said more force is needed to hold on to the gains.

In an interview with Britain’s Daily Telegraph, U.S. Army Gen. Dan McNeill was quoted as saying the troops led by NATO are “gaining the upper hand” against the Taliban but that their numbers aren't enough to “clear and hold every part of this country.”

McNeill expressed concern that several members of the alliance were re-evaluating their roles in the operation, such as Canada and Holland, which are under pressure domestically to downgrade the combat status of their soldiers in southern Afghanistan. Similar pressure is also being felt in Germany and Italy, the report said.

Replying to a question on the future of NATO, McNeill said, “I think all 26 members realize that from a military context, and that is primarily why NATO is here, this is a decision point. Either we are going to get it done or we won't."

He went on to say, “We have to go to places of our choosing where we think the insurgency is and take it on and defeat it in those particular areas.”