Afghan victory not 'quick' nor 'easy'

US President Barack Obama warned that victory over insurgents in Afghanistan would not be "quick" nor "easy," days before an election there marred by rising Taliban violence.

"The insurgency in Afghanistan didn't just happen overnight," Mr Obama told the Veterans of Foreign Wars service organisation in the southwestern state of Arizona ahead of Afghanistan's presidential election tomorrow.

"We won't defeat it overnight. This will not be quick, nor easy," Mr Obama said, as he explained his new strategy of intensifying the fight against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan now taking effect.

The President defended the war as a necessary conflict which was "fundamental" to the defence of American people in depriving Al-Qaeda of a safe-haven to plot follow on attacks to the September 11 strikes in 2001.

Mr Obama noted an upsurge in "fierce" fighting in Afghanistan, but vowed to constantly adapt US tactics and offer the troops the tools and equipment they need.

He did not, however, offer detailed insight into the evolving war strategy, which has seen troops and millions of US dollars pour into the country since the new US President took office in January.

US troop levels are set to reach 68,000 in coming months, more than double the number in place at the start of the year, and analysts predict the head of US and Nato forces, General Stanley McChrystal, may ask for more.

Last week, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates left open the possibility of eventually sending more forces to Afghanistan but warned US resources were currently deeply stretched with 132,000 troops still in Iraq.

Mr Obama has already ordered an additional 21,000 troops to Afghanistan ahead of tomorrow's elections, in line with his strategy of turning the US focus from Iraq to a conflict he says poses a greater security threat.

Earlier, in Afghanistan, top candidates in the presidential race held rallies attended by thousands of cheering supporters.

Seventeen million voters will go to the polls to elect a president for only the second time in Afghanistan's history. They will also elect 420 councillors in 34 provinces, in a huge logistical operation handicapped by rampant insecurity.

President Hamid Karzai, who has ruled Afghanistan since the US-led invasion overthrew the Taliban regime in 2001, is the front-runner but a strong campaign by former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah may force a run-off.

Security fears, already acute, were heightened by a massive suicide bomb attack outside Nato headquarters near the US embassy in Kabul on Saturday, which killed seven Afghans and hurt almost 100 others.

Earlier on Monday, US Afghan war ally Britain said the war in Afghanistan was "winnable," despite its military death toll there recently passing 200 and an poll showing a majority of Britons oppose the fight against the Taliban.

Meanwhile a US-based rights group raised concern yesterday that elections in Afghanistan tomorrow could be compromised by low turnout, violence, fraud and intimidation.

"Violence, plans to use irregular security forces at polling stations, unequal access of candidates to state media, and conditions affecting women are of particular concern," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

Between April 25 and August 1, there were at least 13 political-related killings and at least 10 abductions of electoral officials, candidates and campaign workers, the New York-based watchdog said.

HRW said security in Afghanistan was "considerably worse" than during the last elections in 2004 and 2005, and raised concerns over government plans to recruit up to 10,000 "community defence forces" in areas where insecurity and insufficient police and army mean polling stations might not open.

"Voter-registration problems, multiple voting, fraudulent proxy voting, ballot stuffing, false tabulation of results and other improprieties by electoral commission field staff could undermine the legitimacy of the results," it stated.