Top US General: ‘Shortfall of a Few Thousand’ Troops in Afghanistan

AFGHANISTAN — (CNN) Gen. John Nicholson, commander of US forces in Afghanistan, said Thursday that the coalition faced “a shortfall of a few thousand” troops to break the “stalemate” it faces there.

He said troops were needed for the NATO-led train, advise and assist mission in Afghanistan. He said that the resources for the counterterrorism mission there, in contrast, are “adequate.”

Nicholson, testifying before a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Afghanistan, said the shortfall could be made up by US or coalition troops.

Currently there are a total of 8,400 US troops in Afghanistan. There are also 6,000 troops from NATO and other allied countries.

Nicholson said he hoped the additional reinforcements would allow the coalition to advise Afghan troops at the brigade level.

Nicholson said the US was seeking to establish an “enduring counterterrorism platform” in Afghanistan, noting that of the 98 US-designated terrorist groups globally, 20 operate in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region.

“This is the highest concentration of terrorist groups anywhere in the world,” he told the Senate.

The general also said that he remains “concerned about the influence of certain external actors — particularly Pakistan, Russia, and Iran — who continue to legitimize and support the Taliban and undermine the Afghan governments’ efforts to create a stable Afghanistan.”

Asked by Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican, whether the US was winning or losing in Afghanistan, Nicholson said, “I believe we are in a stalemate.”