WASHINGTON: The top American commander for the Middle East wants a moreaggressive Afghan military pressuring Taliban and other insurgents over thenormally quieter months of Afghanistan’s winter, and then quickly going onthe offensive in the spring.

It’s all part of a plan the United States hopes will change the course of awar now entering its 17th year.

Gen Joseph Votel of US Central Command said an influx of new Americantrainers can help escalate the fight.

They’ll be operating with Afghan units, closer to the front lines and atgreater risk, but Votel said US commanders will ensure American and alliedforces have adequate protection.

The goal is to get the Afghan military moving on its military campaignsooner, rather than later.

The United States wants the “focus on offensive operations and we’ll lookfor a major effort to gain the initiative very quickly as we enter into thefighting season,” Votel said in a recent interview with The AssociatedPress.

Afghan forces must “keep the pressure on all the time and work to gain theupper hand as quickly as we can. So that as we get into this next fightingseason we can build on the initiative,” he said.

The Trump administration’s Afghanistan strategy gives the US militarygreater authority to launch offensive attacks against a resilient Talibanand an emerging militant Islamic State (IS) group affiliate.

The plan was designed to reverse a stalemate in America’s longest war and amajor focus of the strategy is to persuade Pakistan to eliminate allegedsafe havens for the Taliban and other fighters.

The policy also specifically eliminates the Obama administration’sscheduled plan to withdraw US forces, but includes no dramatic changes inan approach that has failed to stabilise the country or snuff out extremistgroups operating from Afghan territory.

BUILDING A TOUGHER MILITARY IN AFGHANISTAN:

On the Afghan side of the border, Washington is trying to build a toughernational military.

Votel said as the coalition builds up the Afghan Air Force and trains moresecurity forces, the Afghans will become better fighters.

“By the time they get to the next fight,” he said, “they will be able toreally present a significant offensive capability.”

But it’s hardly the first time the American military has vowed to shape upthe US-backed army into a force that can defeat the Taliban, al Qaeda, ISand others.

Nor does Trump’s approach represent the first time a frustrated presidenthas pumped troops into the country to turn the situation around.

There are now as many as 16,000 US forces in the country roughly doublewhat Trump inherited and a special training unit is scheduled to deploy toAfghanistan early this year.

When then-President Barack Obama took office in 2009, he authorized a surgeof US forces to Afghanistan that took the total there to about 100,000. Thegoal was to tamp down a resurgent Taliban and train and expand Afghansecurity forces.

The plan centered on forcing the Taliban to the peace table and ending thewar by the time Obama left office.

The plan never worked, despite the mission meeting several celebratedbenchmarks: Obama ended combat operations in 2014, curtailed offensivestrikes and set deadlines for a full U.S. troop withdrawal.

And as the US and Nato forces pulled back, the Taliban stepped up attacksand regained ground, while an IS faction carved out its own foothold. Obamaended his presidency leaving more than 8,000 US forces in Afghanistan.

Beyond boosting troop numbers, Trump has granted his generals’ wishes forfewer combat restrictions, greater authority for commanders and nowithdrawal deadline.

Next year will be the first test of the policy. The Taliban currentlycontrols as much as half of the country.

James Stavridis, a retired Navy admiral who served as the top US commanderfor Nato from 2009 until 2013, said the ultimate goal in Afghanistanremains the same: Pushing the Taliban into seeking peace negotiations.

“There is a slightly better than even chance that there are some newfactors which move us toward the possibility of a successful outcome,” saidStavridis, now dean of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at TuftsUniversity.

Those changes, he said, include the elimination of troop withdrawaltimelines and Taliban fatigue.

“I think they’re tired, too. This is also a 17 year war for them,”Stavridis said, but suggested any settlement will require compromise. “Isthis going to be a sweeping victory? No. But I think the odds are muchhigher of getting them to the negotiating table.”

Votel, too, said he believes efforts are trending in the right direction,as Afghanistan’s military replaces older commanders with younger officers.Recruitment is being maintained at a rapid pace.

But as winter arrives, Votel said the Afghan army must stay on the offenseand prepare for greater fighting when the weather improves.

“We frequently talk about these fighting seasons, but as you know thefighting never actually ends,” Votel said. – Agencies