Mapp backs US general's strategy in Afghanistan

Defence Minister Wayne Mapp has backed the war strategy of the top United States commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, saying it "offers an effective pathway out".

Dr Mapp has just returned from Afghanistan where he was briefed by General McChrystal and met New Zealand troops, including the recently deployed SAS.

General McChrystal's preferred strategy is based on "stabilising" Afghanistan by building up its security forces and governance structures - and he has asked President Barack Obama for 40,000 more troops to do it.

The counter-view is led by Vice-President Joe Biden who says the strategy should be narrowed to focus on pursuing al Qaeda rather than defeating a resurgent Taleban.

President Obama is yet to make a decision.

Dr Mapp told the Herald he believed General McChrystal's strategy was on the right track and if implemented properly it would lead to an improvement in Afghanistan over the next 12 to 18 months,

He said McChrystal's overall direction was "the way to an exit strategy" by stabilising the country enough for international forces to leave without fear of it becoming a safe haven for terrorism again.

He did not want to comment on whether General McChrystal should get the troop numbers he wanted, saying that was a decision for Washington.

Dr Mapp said General McChrystal welcomed the SAS being sent back to the war, and was "well across" their role despite the 70-strong contingent making up only a fraction of the estimated 100,000 international forces that would be there by the end of the year.

He put this down to General McChrystal's eye for detail and his own special forces background, which has included commanding the unit that killed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, leader of al Qaeda in Iraq.

Dr Mapp met the SAS troops in Kabul, where they have replaced Norwegian special forces troops. "They are getting on with the job, so to speak," he said.

The SAS's role includes training the Afghan police critical response unit, a squad of officers based on an American-style Swat team.

Dr Mapp said it was acknowledged that by sending the SAS, New Zealand had upped its contribution by 40 per cent at a time when many other nations were pulling out.

Dr Mapp, who was accompanied by Chief of Defence Force Jerry Mateparae, also attended a major meeting of Nato Defence ministers in Bratislava where General McChrystal gave a further briefing.

He said the ministers broadly supported General McChrystal's plan, a view echoed by Nato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen who said hunting down "individual terrorists" was not a solution in Afghanistan.

Dr Mapp visited the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Bamiyan, and said he believed New Zealand had made the right decision in drawing down its troops. He said the province was making good progress.

He said he saw first hand Afghanistan's violent past when taken to a mass grave of 5000 Hazaran people killed by the Taleban.