Can’t afford to overlook Afghanistan: Mullen

A top US military official said Tuesday that America can’t afford to have Afghanistan become a safe haven for terrorists again.

Addressing Reserve Officers Association, the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, said: “We cannot afford to have Afghanistan become a safe haven for terrorists.”

He said: “We cannot accept that al Qaeda leadership, which continues to plan against us every single day that has that safe haven in Pakistan, nor could resume one in Afghanistan.”

Mullen said: “I talked about the governance piece earlier, and I think that’s the lesson we’ve learned since Vietnam — actually, I would say before and after — and what does that mean. And we also have to have a development piece, otherwise the people of Afghanistan’s life isn’t going to get any better, recognizing that it’s an enormously poor country.”

The Admiral said the efforts in Afghanistan have to be much beyond finding a military solution.

“The military side of this is a necessary part of the equation; it is not sufficient. It needs to be civilian-led in so many ways and the military support — it goes to my need in Afghanistan right now,” he said.

“The number one need I’ve got is governance. That is not something the United States military is going to provide, although when we’re put in that position, we can learn pretty quickly and make a difference,” he said.

Mullen said the Al Qaeda leadership has now moved from Afghanistan to Pakistan. “They’ve now moved; they’re in Pakistan,” he said.

Responding to a question, he said Afghanistan is much more complex. “The tribal piece of Afghanistan is much more complex,” he said.