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The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan says Russia, Pakistan and Iran are pursuing their own agendas with regard to the fragile country, complicating the fight against terrorism and extremism.

"We're concerned about outside actors," General John Nicholson told VOA's Afghan service in an interview.

Russia, which had an ill-fated intervention into Afghanistan that started in 1979 and ended nearly a decade later, has been trying to exert influence in the region again and has set up six-country peace talks next week that are excluding the United States. Nicholson worries about Russia's links with the Taliban.

"Russia has been legitimizing the Taliban and supporting the Taliban," he said. "Meanwhile, the Taliban supports terrorists. I'm very sorry to see Russia supporting the Taliban and narcoterrorism."

FILE - Taliban fighters react to a speech by their senior leader in the Shindand district of Herat province, Afghanistan, May 27, 2016.

Moscow denies that it provides aid to the Taliban and says its contacts with the group are aimed at encouraging them to enter peace talks.

Taliban role in peace efforts

Despite the Taliban's history of violence and extremism, Nicholson didn't rule out a role for the Taliban in the peace process, saying there were elements in the group that appeared to be more pragmatic about the country's prospects for peace.

"Many of its leaders see a better life for all Afghans," he said.

Meanwhile, he said Iran appeared to be supporting extremists in western Afghanistan.

"But the situation is more complex than with Russia," Nicholson said. "There needs to be a relationship" between Afghanistan and Iran, which have seen a resurgence in trade that has partially compensated for a decline in Afghan economic activity with Pakistan.

President Donald Trump's new administration has made a flurry of contacts with top Afghan and Pakistani officials in recent days as it formulates a new policy in the region. That clearly involves pressure on Islamabad to do more to crack down on terrorist groups that hide out near the Afghan border in Pakistan's volatile tribal areas.

"We want cooperation from Pakistan against all terrorists," Nicholson said. "We must have pressure on external sanctuaries in Pakistan."

Rooting out terrorists would help ease Pakistan's concerns about further attacks on its turf that are seen by many as a penalty for the country's support for the U.S. war on terrorism, he said.

"We all hope for a change in Pakistani behavior," Nicholson said. "This is in Pakistan's interest."

FILE - Gen. John Nicholson, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Feb. 9, 2017, before the Senate Armed Services Senate Committee.

Congressional appearance

The general spoke shortly after appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday, where he said he needed "a few thousand" more soldiers to bolster the 8,400 U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

Nicholson told VOA that the extra troops would serve as advisers, extending that role from the core of the Afghan military down to the brigade level to help the country's troops in what he called a "very, very tough fight" to foster peace.

"The enemy is trying to seize cities," he said. "It's a new dimension to the fight."

The Afghan military has suffered heavy losses as a result. More than 6,700 of its soldiers were killed last year through November 12, according to a quarterly report from the U.S. government's Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, up from 6,600 for all of 2015.

Nicholson discounted recent figures that indicated the Taliban has gained more territory this year and now holds about 15 percent of the land, saying it was the result of a revised Afghan government strategy to focus on protecting urban areas.

FILE - Afghan National Army commandos take position during a military operation in Helmand province, Oct. 2, 2016.

"This was a wise decision by the government," he said, adding that it had provided greater protection for most of the people. "There's a difference between territory and population. Many areas are sparsely populated."

Propaganda war

U.S.-led forces also have been losing ground in the propaganda war waged by the Taliban and the 20 terrorist groups that operate in Afghanistan, who aggressively use social media, often with false reports that put the international mission in a bad light, Nicholson said.

He sought advice from VOA journalists on the best ways to counter the extremists' message and recruitment efforts, saying "the enemy" was doing a better job than the government and its allies at reaching the Afghan people. "We're trying to be more proactive in communications," he said.

The U.S. has been in Afghanistan for more than 15 years and has committed to at least four more years. But Nicholson said even though the internal fight is currently at a "stalemate," the battle is worthwhile. He added that he did see a peaceful future for the country.

"I believe it will end well for the Afghan people," he said. "Our Afghan brothers and sisters are worth our support."

Read more from the original source:
US Commander Warns of Russian, Iranian, Pakistani Influence in Afghanistan - Voice of America

He said troops were needed for the NATO-led train, advise and assist mission in Afghanistan. He said that the resources for the counterterrorism mission there, in contrast, are "adequate."

Nicholson, testifying before a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Afghanistan, said the shortfall could be made up by US or coalition troops. He added that Secretary of Defense James Mattis would address the issue during this month's meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels.

Currently there are a total of 8,400 US troops in Afghanistan. There are also 6,000 troops from NATO and other allied countries. President Barack Obama oversaw the withdrawal of some 1,400 US troops during his last months in office.

Nicholson said he hoped the additional reinforcements would allow the coalition to advise Afghan troops at the brigade level, bringing them closer to the intense fight between the government and Taliban insurgency.

The general also said additional resources were needed to develop the Afghan air force and grow Afghan special forces.

Nicholson said the US was seeking to establish an "enduring counterterrorism platform" in Afghanistan, noting that of the 98 US-designated terrorist groups globally, 20 operate in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region.

"This is the highest concentration of terrorist groups anywhere in the world," he told the Senate.

The general also said that he remains "concerned about the influence of certain external actors -- particularly Pakistan, Russia, and Iran -- who continue to legitimize and support the Taliban and undermine the Afghan governments' efforts to create a stable Afghanistan."

"Iran is directly supporting the Taliban in Western Afghanistan," Nicholson said, adding that Russia was offering political support to the Taliban in order "to undermine the United States and NATO."

A recent report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction found that the Afghan government controlled just under 60% of territory, with the remainder either being contested by the Taliban or under the control of the insurgency.

Asked by Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican, whether the US was winning or losing in Afghanistan, Nicholson said, "I believe we are in a stalemate."

President Donald Trump, who spoke to President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan Thursday, told reporters: "Afghanistan -- I would say that that's a tough situation, but we'll do something about it."

"We'll be giving you some pretty good information soon," he told reporters during a brief spray at the White House.

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Top US general: 'Shortfall of a few thousand' troops in Afghanistan - CNN

President Trump promised troops in Afghanistan the night of his inauguration that "we're going to win," but keeping that promise will take more than just a military strategy, experts said.

Trump, speaking via video chat to troops deployed to Afghanistan at an inaugural ball for the military last month, said that he is with them "a 1,000 percent" and stressed that the U.S. will emerge from the 15-plus year conflict victorious.

"Keep fighting. We're going to win. We're going to win. I have your back. We're going to make America great again," Trump said.

It's a sentiment Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., echoed last week at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing that provided an update on the conflict in Afghanistan.

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"We've tied the hands of our military in Afghanistan, and instead of trying to win, we settled for just trying not to lose," McCain said in his opening statement.

A victory in Afghanistan will likely rely on a few military criteria: building up an Afghan military force that can defend itself without U.S. assistance; and either defeating the Taliban or pushing it back enough on the battlefield that the group is forced to come to the table to negotiate with the government.

But experts said it goes beyond that, to include leaving behind an Afghan government and economy that can support its people and work with Pakistan to crack down on the terrorism sanctuaries inside the country.

Accomplishing all of this will take more than just U.S. military might, said Marvin Weinbaum, an analyst with the Middle East Institute.

"I think that the idea of a military victory anywhere in the foreseeable future is unrealistic, very, very much so," he said.

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The best possible outcome, he said, is that the U.S. will "buy time" for the Afghans to build up the military and regrow the economy.

"That's giving them the opportunity to do what only they can do and that is help themselves," he said. "We can give them an opportunity to stay in the game."

One of the large unknowns in the new administration is Trump's view on what should be done in Afghanistan, besides winning. The issue went untouched during the campaign and Trump has said almost nothing about it since winning the presidency. He has over the years called the war a "disaster" and advocated pulling troops out.

The issue received new life last week, when Gen. John Nicholson, commander of the NATO mission in Afghanistan, acknowledged the battle is at a "stalemate" and that he believes "a few thousand more" troops are needed for the training mission. Those could come from the U.S. or other NATO countries.

Last summer, the Obama administration announced a plan to slow the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. The plan had been to bring the number of troops down from 9,800 to 5,500 by the end of the year. But Obama, acting on Nicholson's recommendation, increased that final number to 8,400.

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But working under those troop caps has proven onerous for U.S. commanders. Nicholson described how the 1st Infantry Division combat aviation brigade deployed with helicopters and pilots while their mechanics were left behind at Fort Riley, Kansas. He explained that it cost more to bring in private contractors to maintain the helicopters downrange, even as the military mechanics suffered reduced readiness levels back at Kansas with nothing to do.

The increase of NATO forces in the train, advise and assist mission that Gen. John Nicholson, the head of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, called for last week will be one small step toward buying the Afghans more time, Weinbaum said, but will not "turn the tide in a major way."

Lisa Curtis, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, said the U.S. is making positive steps toward reaching a victory in Afghanistan, but that one of the "major failings" in the U.S. strategy is the inability to work with Pakistan to crack down on Haqqani and Taliban sanctuaries in the country, something that's "critical" in declaring the 15 years of war a success. She suggested a change in U.S. strategy that would see the U.S. impose conditions on military aid to Pakistan.

Nicholson spoke to the Pakistan challenge as well, and said he would welcome the Trump administration getting involved and putting pressure on Islamabad.

"Sir, it's very difficult to succeed on the battlefield when your enemy enjoys external support and safe haven," he said. Nicholson acknowledged that Pakistan had conducted helpful missions in its largely unoverned tribal regions. Yet the country, along with Russia and Iran "continue to legitimize and support the Taliban," while undermining the efforts of the Afghan government.

Still, Curtis said the U.S. strategy is allowing the coalition to make progress.

"But I think the idea of backstopping the Afghan forces, continuing to conduct counterterrorism missions when necessary and supporting the Afghan government are the right steps, so I think we are moving in the right direction," she said.

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Trump says he wants to 'win' in Afghanistan. But what will that take? - Washington Examiner

Stars and Stripes

Mattis heading to Europe while mulling changes in Afghanistan, anti-Islamic State fight Stars and Stripes Defense Secretary Jim Mattis will depart Tuesday on his first trip to Europe as Pentagon chief, meeting with defense ministers from numerous countries as Washington mulls deploying thousands more troops to Afghanistan and altering its strategy to more ... and more »

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Mattis heading to Europe while mulling changes in Afghanistan, anti-Islamic State fight - Stars and Stripes

In a stark admission, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan told Capitol Hill lawmakers Thursday that after 15 years of war, the conflict remains a stalemate and said thousands more troops are needed to train Afghan forces.

Army Gen. John W. Nicholson, Jr. offered lawmakers a grim assessment about the prospects for truly ending a war that so far has cost more than 2,000 American lives -- and billions of dollars -- since 2001. The challenge, he testified, is made even tougher by Russia and Irans aid to the Taliban, amid signs the militant group is making territorial gains.

I believe we're in a stalemate, Nicholson told Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., when asked directly if the U.S. and its allies are winning or losing.

He said he has adequate resources for counterterrorism, but is facing a shortfall of a few-thousand troops to train Afghan forces.

He made clear those additional troops could come from allies as well as the U.S., and said the subject would be on the table when Defense Secretary Jim Mattis attends a NATO defense meeting next week in Brussels.

At the Senate hearing Thursday, Nicholson also told lawmakers a U.S. special forces soldier had been severely wounded that morning in Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan. Twelve Americans have been killed in Afghanistan since October.

In further evidence that the war is far from over despite then-President Barack Obama declaring an end to the combat mission in 2014, the United Nations reported Monday a record number of Afghan civilians were killed in Afghanistan last year.The report said nearly 3,500 were killed and nearly 8,000 wounded. A government watchdog group also says the Afghan government only controls 60 percent of the country right now.

Five Americans continue to be held hostage in Afghanistan, according to Nicholson.

At the White House, Press Secretary Sean Spicer said President Trump would heed the advice of his generals and defense secretary, but said no decision was imminent.

Restrictions on troop levels in the past administration forced the U.S. military to rely on expensive contractors.

"We have roughly a two-to-one ratio of contractors to soldiers, said Nicholson.Currently, there are 8,400 American troops in Afghanistan, which would put the number of civilian contractors at nearly 17,000. Nicholson said soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division based at Ft. Riley, Kansas, were forced to stay home when their aviation brigade deployed to Afghanistan to adhere to troops limits set under the Obama administration.

This contract for maintenance runs into the tens of millions of dollars, and then the soldiers who are trained to be mechanics are sitting back at Fort Riley not having the opportunity to do their job. So this has a direct impact on army readiness and it also costs us more money, Nicholson said.

Some say Afghanistan has become the forgotten war, despite more American troops on the ground there than in Iraq engaged in the ISIS fight. The subject rarely surfaced on the campaign trail.President Trump mentioned Afghanistan just once to express gratitude for Americans serving there, in prepared remarks while visiting U.S. Central Command in Tampa, Fla., earlier this week.

While Trump has given his generals 30 days to come up with a draft plan to ramp up the ISIS fight, the same request was not made for Afghanistan, where Nicholson says the Russians and the Iranians are now actively supporting the Taliban.

When we look at Russia and Iranian actions in Afghanistan, I believe that, in part, theyre [trying] to undermine the United States and NATO, he said.

Russia's support for the Taliban began last year, according to Nicholson.

Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., said, I think we better let President Trump know that.

Yes sir, Nicholson replied.

Nicholson said Iran is actively recruiting Afghans to fight in Syria, a situation that could blow back on Kabul when those fighters return home.

Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., questioned the resources spent on the war so far, a number that has reached $117 billion.

"Adjusted for inflation the U.S. has spent more on Afghanistan's reconstruction than it did on the Marshall Plan to rebuild Western Europe after World War II. Reconstructing Afghanistan has now become the largest expenditure to rebuild a single country in our nation's history, he said.

There are fewer American troops on the ground in Afghanistan than any time since 2002. Following the reduction of 1,400 troops at the end of the year, the number stands at a mere 10 percent of the 100,000 at the height of the Obama administrations surge in 2011.

Today, there are nearly 6,000 U.S. troops on the ground in Iraq.

While some questioned the high cost of Americas longest war, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., asked Nicholson, If the United States just said we've had enough, you know, 15 years is long enough, let's just roll up our operation there and come home, do think that we would face the risk of an attack planned and directed from Afghanistan?

Yes, senator, definitely, Nicholson replied.

Lucas Tomlinson is the Pentagon and State Department producer for Fox News Channel. You can follow him on Twitter: @LucasFoxNews

Jennifer Griffin currently serves as a national security correspondent for FOX News Channel . She joined FNC in October 1999 as a Jerusalem-based correspondent. You can follow her on Twitter at @JenGriffinFNC.

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