Afghanistan needs political solutions

The new American General in Afghanistan David Petraeus faces a difficult mission as he must pursue military objectives while seeking to come to terms politically with the insurgents, writes the daily Die Presse: "That is the problem facing the new commander in Afghanistan. And things are rendered even more complicated by the fact that this is not just a 'Taliban problem'. The international troops in Afghanistan are not only combatting the hard core Taliban militia. They also have to deal with local uprisings against the government of President Hamid Karzai, as well as with armed insurgents bent on revenging the deaths of their loved ones at the hands of Nato troops. For that reason political solutions are needed to take the wind from the sails of the insurgents. Failing that Petraeus will find it hard to stabilise the situation militarily. In any event it is anything but certain that the hard core of the Taliban can be crushed."

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