LOUISVILLE, Ky., Aug. 26 (UPI) -- The war in Afghanistan is about earning the trust of the Afghan people and defeating al-Qaida-backed militants, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
Public opinion polls in the United States show declining support for the war in Afghanistan as U.S. military commanders get set to ask for additional troops to support a new combat effort.
U.S. President Barack Obama said in recent statements that the war in Afghanistan was a war of necessity as the threat for a destabilized Afghanistan looms.
U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, sought to allay public concerns during a speech at the American Legion convention in Louisville, Ky.
"This isn't just a war against something," he said, "it's a war for something -- the trust and confidence of the people of Afghanistan who, if given the chance, will choose not to allow themselves or their land to become a safe haven again."
He went on to define his mission as one meant to ensure Afghanistan does not slide into the insurgent-led chaos that followed the withdrawal of Soviet forces in 1989.
Against a backdrop of declining support, August is set to be the deadliest month for American troops since the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.
