Pentagon chief says Afghan policy in right direction despite Rabbani assassination

Pentagon chief says Afghan policy in right direction despite Rabbani assassination

U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta on Tuesday said that U.S. strategy in Afghanistan is moving in the right direction despite the assassination of Afghan Peace Council Chief and ex-president Burhanuddin Rabbani.

At a Pentagon briefing, Panetta said that he is extremely concerned about the attack, but said the recent spade of high- profile assassinations were "not unexpected." He said that U.S. Commander in Afghanistan John Allen's assessment was that the U.S. side has made progress against the Taliban, and the anticipated broader range of attacks in the fighting season haven't occurred.

Rabbani was killed in a suicide attack at his residence in Kabul on Tuesday night. Panetta said that Rabbani was playing " important role in reconciliation," and he hopes to work with others to make progress in this regard.

The Taliban "have resorted to these assassinations," said Panetta, adding that the U.S. side is working with the Afghanis to provide better protection for people in high positions in Afghanistan.

"We are moving in right direction," said Panetta, noting that the U.S. strategy is making progress against Taliban.

Admiral Mike Mullen, who will soon retire from his post as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at the same press briefing that he couldn't tell at this stage who's behind the assassination. He said that recent assassinations represents shift in Taliban strategy. He said that because the insurgency has " failed in field," so they shift to high-profile assassinations. He said that he doesn't see this is the moment to make significant change to U.S. strategy in Afghanistan.

U.S. President Barack Obama has ordered 10,000 troops out of Afghanistan by year-end, and a total of 33,000 troops will be out by next summer, fully recovering the surge troops he announced late 2009. By 2014, security responsibility will be transferred to the Afghans.

Editor: yan

English.news.cn   2011-09-21 03:13:42 FeedbackPrintRSS
WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 (Xinhua)