Karzai says security aid needed for 15-20 years

President Hamid Karzai told visiting US Defence Secretary Robert Gates yesterday that Afghanistan would need aid to fund its security forces for up to 20 more years, calling for a long-term US commitment.

The newly re-elected President said his government would work to assume responsibility for Afghanistan's security within five years, but that the impoverished country lacked the funds to foot the entire bill.

Mr Gates, who held talks with President Karzai on implementing a new war strategy that involves sending 30,000 extra US troops to fight the Taliban, reiterated that the United States intended to start withdrawing its forces from July 2011.

"For 15 to 20 years, Afghanistan will not be able to sustain a force of that nature and capability with its own resources," Mr Karzai told a news conference.

"We hope that the international community and the United States, as our first ally, will help Afghanistan reach the ability to sustain a force."

US President Barack Obama's plan to start withdrawing troops in July 2011 has sparked concern in Afghanistan and neighbouring Pakistan that the Taliban could sit out the surge and attack a pared down force in 18 months' time.

President Karzai said Afghan forces hoped to assume responsibility in critical areas in another two years and "hopefully with a maximum effort to add on the whole of the country... in five years time".

Mr Gates was in Kabul on the first visit by a senior US official since Obama last week announced he would boost the US deployment in Afghanistan to 100,000 to counter the increasingly virulent Taliban insurgency.

The surge will allow Nato to "reverse insurgent momentum" and isolate the Taliban, the top ground commander, US General Stanley McChrystal, told a US congressional hearing yesterday.