Obama to measure progress of Afghan war

USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration cited general objectives, including security and government development, as part of its plan to measure success in Afghanistan and Pakistan, according to a plan provided to Congress on Wednesday.
Each general objective will have a series of "metrics," measurements that will be used to gauge progress in each area, according to a copy of the plan obtained from a member of Congress who was briefed on the plan's contents.

The objectives include:

• Disrupting terrorist networks in Afghanistan and Pakistan;

• Helping Pakistan enhance its civilian, constitutional government;

• Developing Pakistan's counterinsurgency capabilities;

• Increasing international involvement in stabilizing Afghanistan and Pakistan;

• Defeating the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan and securing the Afghan population;

• Training more Afghan security forces;

• Improving the capability of the Afghan government while reducing corruption.

In March, President Obama said the administration "will not blindly stay the course" in Afghanistan and will set "clear metrics" to gauge progress.

The metrics used to calculate progress will start from conditions on July 17 as measured by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the plan says.

Obstacles stand in the way of success. For example, the winner of Afghanistan's presidential election held Aug. 20 has yet to be determined because of extensive allegations of voter fraud.

Many of the details remain classified, the report says.

One member of Congress said it will be hard to measure ultimate success.

"What they didn't get into is at what point do they consider those objectives met," said Rep. Duncan Hunter of California, a Republican member of the House Armed Services Committee. "When is the war over?"

Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Tuesday that winning the war will probably require additional troops.

Mullen said he expects that Gen. Stanley McChrystal, commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, will ask for more troops. The request is not likely until after McChrystal's assessment of conditions in Afghanistan has been reviewed by the White House and the Department of Defense.

Obama said Wednesday that the assessment will determine whether there is a need for more troops. "You have to get the strategy right and then make determinations about resources," Obama said.

There are also plans to hire a panel of outside experts to review the same material and make their own judgments about success in Afghanistan and Pakistan.