Cartwright: Afghanistan war tougher than Iraq

[unhappycamper]

Cartwright: Afghanistan war tougher than Iraq
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Nov 17, 2008 17:26:54 EST

The vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs warned Monday that U.S. troops and their families should not expect to relax if operations in Iraq wrap up soon.

Marine Gen. James Cartwright, speaking Monday in Arlington, Va., before a symposium sponsored by the Military Officers Association of America, predicted the situation in Afghanistan won’t be resolved as easily or quickly as was the case with creating a semblance of political stability in Iraq.

And even if Afghanistan is stabilized, the future is going to be one of military challenges, he said.

“The belief of the Joint Chiefs is, we are entering an era of persistent conflict,” Cartwright said, warning of hot spots “broadly spread across the planet” that are “difficult to solve and move on.”

Cartwright’s comments came during a professional symposium focusing on the difficulty facing the Defense Department in balancing its growing military personnel costs and the need to modernize weapons.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/11/military_cartwright_111708w/%2e