New commander explains strategy

KABUL, Afghanistan, June 15 (UPI) -- The commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan says troops must ensure the safety of main population centers while fighting Taliban militants.

Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, who took charge Monday, replacing Gen. David McKiernan, told The Washington Post in an interview he planned a review of how the troops are deployed in ensuring the safety of civilians.

"We are going to look at those parts of the country that are most important -- and those typically, in an insurgency, are the population centers,' McChrystal told the Post.

The new commander's views relate to the central question of whether to deploy U.S. troops in remote mountainous regions of Afghanistan to go after the militants or use them to safeguard cities and villages against Taliban intimidation. The Post noted that Afghanistan's remote regions have seen some of the most intense battles against the insurgents in recent months.

"We've got to ruthlessly prioritize, because we don't have enough forces to do everything, everywhere," McChrystal told the Post, adding he would be reluctant to use forces in areas where the Afghan government's authority cannot be easily extended.

"If you are not prepared to come in with a reasonable level of governance and a reasonable level of development, then just going in to hold (the ground) doesn't have a strong rationale," he said.

McChrystal said he plans to spend eight to 10 days meeting with his military commanders along with some provincial and village leaders.

Under his strategy, the focus will be on local governance and economic development, and not so much on the number of insurgent attacks, enemies killed or raids by U.S. forces, the report said.