Security
Afghanistan: Italian military presence 'not short-term' says minister
Rome, 29 October (AKI) - Italy's deployment of troops in Afghanistan is not a "short-term" commitment and a successful military mission in the war-torn country can only be achieved in the longer term, Italy's defence minister Ignazio La Russa said on Thursday.
"The situation cannot improve overnight. Whoever takes a short-term view will be disappointed and will make mistakes," La Russa told Italian TV channel Canale 5's morning talkshow 'La Telefonata'.
"Our mission is not a short-term one ... we will leave Afghanistan when the country, its security forces and its democratically elected government are able to handle any threats unaided."
His comments came a day after Taliban militants stormed a guesthouse in the Afghan capital, Kabul, killing at least eight people, including five foreign United Nations staff and three Afghans.
The UN and the United States condemned the brazen assault, in which militants also fired rockets at the presidential palace and a luxury hotel in Kabul. It has forced the world body to re-evaluate its mission in Afghanistan.
The attack highlighted the risks facing UN and Afghan officials involved in organising the run-off of the presidential election next month following the fraud-riddled first round of voting on 20 August.
La Russa said on Tuesday that at least 400 out of 500 Italian soldiers sent as reinforcements for the Afghan presidential election would return to Italy by Christmas.
There are around 3,000 Italian troops serving in Afghanistan, mostly in the west of the country, out of a total NATO-led force of some 103,000 troops including 65,000 US troops.
The top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, has asked the Obama administration for more combat, training and support troops, with several options including one for 40,000 more soldiers.
Amid an intensifying Taliban-led insurgency, October has seen the highest number of US soldiers killed - 55 - since the invasion which toppled the Taliban in 2001.
"The situation cannot improve overnight. Whoever takes a short-term view will be disappointed and will make mistakes," La Russa told Italian TV channel Canale 5's morning talkshow 'La Telefonata'.
"Our mission is not a short-term one ... we will leave Afghanistan when the country, its security forces and its democratically elected government are able to handle any threats unaided."
His comments came a day after Taliban militants stormed a guesthouse in the Afghan capital, Kabul, killing at least eight people, including five foreign United Nations staff and three Afghans.
The UN and the United States condemned the brazen assault, in which militants also fired rockets at the presidential palace and a luxury hotel in Kabul. It has forced the world body to re-evaluate its mission in Afghanistan.
The attack highlighted the risks facing UN and Afghan officials involved in organising the run-off of the presidential election next month following the fraud-riddled first round of voting on 20 August.
La Russa said on Tuesday that at least 400 out of 500 Italian soldiers sent as reinforcements for the Afghan presidential election would return to Italy by Christmas.
There are around 3,000 Italian troops serving in Afghanistan, mostly in the west of the country, out of a total NATO-led force of some 103,000 troops including 65,000 US troops.
The top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, has asked the Obama administration for more combat, training and support troops, with several options including one for 40,000 more soldiers.
Amid an intensifying Taliban-led insurgency, October has seen the highest number of US soldiers killed - 55 - since the invasion which toppled the Taliban in 2001.
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