US backs Indian effort to train Afghan forces

The US has said it is "very supportive" of the Indian effort to train Afghan security forces, amid reports that president Hamid Karzai has agreed to send a group of military officers to Pakistan for training.

"We are very supportive of the Afghan army and police taking advantage of international offers to provide professional military education and training to their security forces. Obviously it is an Afghan decision, in terms of which are those opportunities Kabul wants to take advantage of," US under-secretary of defence for policy, Michele Flournoy, said.

There already are a number of Afghans training in India and benefiting greatly given the professionalism of the Indian military and what they can provide, she said.

"So, we are very supportive of that effort," Flournoy said yesterday in response to a question after her address on 'Investing in the Future of US-India Defence Relations' before the Washington Chapter of the Asia Society.

Flournoy's remarks came a day after The Washington Post reported that Karzai had agreed to send a group of Afghan military officers to Pakistan for training.

"The move is a victory for Pakistan, which seeks a major role in Afghanistan as officials in both countries become increasingly convinced that the US war effort there is faltering," the daily said.

In her speech, Flournoy said India was playing a critical and positive role in Afghanistan's economic and social development, and that help will continue.

"We highly value India's role and, frankly, the sacrifices that India has made in support of this mission, in building economic and social opportunities in Afghanistan. We see India's continued involvement in Afghanistan's development as a key part of that country's future success," she said.

The Pentagon official, a key confidante of US president Barack Obama, acknowledged of rivalry and distrust between India and Pakistan on the issue of Afghanistan.

"Certainly, given the historic tensions between India and Pakistan, both countries tend to view Afghanistan through that prism," she said in response to a question. The US is very supportive of any steps that the Indians and Pakistani government choose to take to deal with the issues directly between them and to reduce tensions and build confidence, Flournoy said.

"But in Afghanistan, I would sort of separate the two countries. India has played a very important role in economic and social development in Afghanistan in multiple sectors and we would like to see them continue to play that role," she said.

"I think, with regard to India and Pakistan, there is an inherited distrust between the two countries and we are very supportive of whatever steps they take in being transparent with one another and take some confidence-building measures," Flournoy said. "Because the truth is that they all have a stake in the stability of the region."

She said the US has strategic partnerships with all three countries -- India, Pakistan and Afghanistan -- and one of the things it continues to try to press is its belief that common stake in regional security can actually bring them to a place of cooperation that they have not experienced before, but it is not going to be easy to get there.

Flournoy said the US has no plan to abandon Afghanistan after July 2011, when the drawdown of its troops would begin.

She said the US has enduring commitment to the region.

"We have learned our lessons from history. We have no plans to depart the region and to abandon Afghanistan anytime soon," she said.

"Everything has to be seen in the context of a long- term commitment to both the security and development of Afghanistan. That said, he (Obama) also identified July 2011, as an inflection point in our strategy, when the surge of forces would end, and a process of transition would begin, based on the conditions on the ground," Flournoy said.