McChrystal adjusts to Taliban insurgency

KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 10 (UPI) -- The U.S. strategy in Afghanistan is shifting to counter a Taliban insurgency that is thriving in the war-torn country, the top U.S. commander said.

U.S. Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top military commander in Afghanistan, said the Taliban insurgency has gained momentum in many parts of the country, prompting military planners to reassess their strategy in the campaign.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, McChrystal said he may redeploy his combat forces from the southern province of Helmand to more densely populated areas near Kandahar and other areas to counter a bustling Taliban movement.

"It's a very aggressive enemy right now," he said. "We've got to stop their momentum, stop their initiative. It's hard work."

His assessment is a prelude to a review of the war effort planned for the White House later this year. U.S. President Barack Obama revamped the strategy for Afghanistan based on the counterinsurgency campaign in Iraq, calling for some 68,000 American boots on the ground by the end of the year.

Officials familiar with the White House review say McChrystal may request additional U.S. troops for Afghanistan, a move that contributed in part to the hasty reassignment of his predecessor, Gen. David McKiernan.

McChrystal, however, stressed he would push for a "significant" expansion to the number of Afghan security forces.

Regardless of the immediate agenda, the general, echoing sentiments expressed by other U.S. military advisers, cautioned that it may take as long as 12 months before results of the Afghan surge begin to emerge.