AFGHAN GAINS AT RISK, GENERAL SAYS

WASHINGTON The U.S. must “do something very different” in Afghanistan, such as placing American military advisers closer to the front lines of battle, or risk squandering all that has been invested there in recent years, the head of the Pentagon’s military intelligence agency said Thursday.

The grim assessment by Marine Lt. Gen. Vincent Stewart, director of the Defence Intelligence Agency, comes as the Trump administration considers Pentagon recommendations to add more U.S. and NATO troops and to deepen support for Afghan forces. The timing of a White House decision is unclear but is not expected this week.

In testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Stewart said he visited Afghanistan about six weeks ago to see for himself what others have called a stalemate with the Taliban, the insurgent group that was removed from power in 2001 by invading U.S. forces.

“Left unchecked, that stalemate will deteriorate in the favour of the belligerents,” Stewart said, referring to the Taliban.