Earlier today U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates criticized NATO allies for their conduct of the war in Afghanistan. It seems America's friends just don't measure up.
In a Los Angeles Times article by Peter Spiegel Gates faults NATO force in southern Afghanistanthe British, Dutch and Canadian forces were criticized by implication.
But coming from an administration castigated for its conduct of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, such U.S. criticism of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is controversial. Many NATO officials blame inadequate U.S. troop numbers earlier in the war in part for a Taliban resurgence.
"It's been very, very difficult to apply the classic counterinsurgency doctrine because you've had to stabilize the situation sufficiently to start even applying it," said one European NATO official, who discussed the issue on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak for the alliance. "Even in the classic counterinsurgency doctrine, you've still got to get the fighting down to a level where you can apply the rest of the doctrine."
n an unusual public criticism, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said he believes NATO forces currently deployed in southern Afghanistan do not know how to combat a guerrilla insurgency, a deficiency that could be contributing to the rising violence in the fight against the Taliban.
"I'm worried we're deploying [military advisors] that are not properly trained and I'm worried we have some military forces that don't know how to do counterinsurgency operations," Gates said in an interview.
Canada's right-leaning Conservative government was in damage control mode, awaiting an independent report on the future of Canada's involvement in Afghanistan. MacKay downplays U.S. critique of Afghan mission Foreign Minister Peter MacKay said Gates had called to laud the performance of Canadian troops.
Gates said the quotes attributed to him were taken "out of context," according to MacKay, and "they were comments made of a general nature about the need to focus training of NATO and the alliance on counterinsurgency."
The Associated Press reports that U.S. officials explained that Gates wasn't referring to any particular country but to the alliance as a whole.
"For the record he did not -- to the L.A. Times or at any time otherwise -- publicly ever criticize any single country for their performance in or commitment to the mission in Afghanistan,'' Gates' spokesperson Geoff Morrell told reporters in Washington.
NATO countries are not amused.
NATO allies, meanwhile, have reacted with surprise and disbelief to Gates' comments in the report.
AP reports the Dutch Defence Ministry summoned the U.S. ambassador for an explanation.
In Ottawa, Liberal defence critic Denis Coderre demanded the Tory government either call in the U.S. ambassador to Canada or seek a clarification from Gates.
Coderre said at the very least, the comments smack of insensitivity in light of the death of a Canadian soldier north of Kandahar on Wednesday.
Reuters reportsNATO rejects US criticism
In Britain oppositon MP's have weighed in. According to the TimesOnline Outrage as US accuses Britain of inexperience in Taleban conflict
As officials tried to smooth over the apparent rift, his comments drew a fierce response. Patrick Mercer, a Conservative MP and a former British Army officer, said they were “bloody outrageous”. He said: “I would beg the Americans to understand that we are their closest allies, and our men are bleeding and dying in large numbers.”
Britain has 7,800 troops in southern Afghanistan, where 81 have been killed. The Dutch and the Canadians have also lost a substantial number of soldiers in counter-insurgency operations against the Taleban.
Canadian troops may be withdrawn from Afghanistan if the opposition parties decide to make this the issue to vote non-confidence in the minority government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Will the USA then go it alone?