Petraeus calls for unity in Afghanistan

(GETTY)

General David Petraeus, the new commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, called for unity today in the civilian and military effort to turn back the Taliban and stabilise the country.

The remarks were Petraeus' first public comments since he arrived last night to assume command of the troubled international military mission in Afghanistan. His predecessor, General Stanley McChrystal, was fired last month for intemperate remarks by him and his aides about Obama administration figures to Rolling Stone magazine.

"In this important endeavor, cooperation is not optional," Petraeus told about 1,700 invited guests, including Afghan government and military and police officials gathered at the US Embassy. "Civilian and military, Afghanistan and international, we are part of one team with one mission."

Petraeus added that the campaign to strengthen the Afghan government in the face of the insurgent threat "is an effort in which we must achieve unity of effort." He told the Afghan dignitaries, "Your success is our success."

Underscoring the message of unity, US Ambassador Karl Eikenberry appeared with Petraeus, handing the general an access pass to the heavily guarded embassy and calling him a "great friend."

"Welcome aboard. You are welcome at this embassy 24-7," said Eikenberry, whose relationship with McChrystal was frosty.

In return, Petraeus said: "I feel like one of the team now. It's a pleasure to be your Ranger buddy at this critical time."

Eikenberry told the crowd that the US commitment to Afghanistan would not wane, despite sagging US public support for the conflict and President Barack Obama's July 2011 deadline to begin withdrawing US troops.

"We'll keep at it. We'll persevere," Eikenberry said. "We're committed for the long term."

McChrystal was fired after telling Rolling Stone that he felt "betrayed" by Eikenberry's opposition last year to the general's request for a substantial increase in US troops in Afghanistan because the ambassador had doubts about the reliability of Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

Eikenberry's opposition to the troop increase, which Obama approved, was contained in diplomatic cables leaked in Washington, a move McChrystal suspected was aimed at protecting the ambassador if the war effort failed.

But Saturday's message was of unity. Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmay Rasoul said the foundation of Afghanistan's partnership with the US was solid.

"Our resolve is unshaken, and the resilience of our people in the desire for peace and prosperity remains robust," he said.

Petraeus, widely credited with turning around the US war effort in Iraq, is due to formally assume command at a ceremony Sunday. Ahead of the ceremony, he was spending his day receiving his first operational update from the NATO staff and in meetings with Karzai, the ground commander Lt. Gen. David Rodriguez, and the chief of the NATO training command, Lt. Gen. William Caldwell.

Petraeus is taking over the 12,000-member NATO-led international force at a time of rising violence and growing doubts in Washington and other allied capitals about the effectiveness of the counterinsurgency strategy, which Petraeus pioneered.

The focus of the military effort has been in the Taliban strongholds of the south and east.

Nevertheless, the insurgency has spread across this country.

Yesterday, Taliban suicide attackers stormed a four-story house used by an American aid organization in the northern city of Kunduz, killing four people before dying in a fierce, five-hour gunbattle with Afghan security forces.

The pre-dawn attack appeared part of a militant campaign against international development organizations at a time when the US and its allies are trying to accelerate civilian aid efforts to turn back the Taliban.

Elsewhere, two Afghan civilians were killed, one child was missing and three women were wounded after their car hit a roadside bomb near Qalat city in Zabul province, according to provincial spokesman Mohammad Jan Rasoulyar.