Iran Arming Taliban- US Commander in Afghanistan

General Stanley McCrystal, the commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan (ISAF), said today that Afghan insurgents are being trained inside Iran and given weapons to fight ISAF.

"The training that we have seen occurs inside Iran with fighters moving inside Iran," Gen. McCrystal said at a news conference in Kabul. "The weapons that we have received come from Iran into Afghanistan" [Reuters, 30 May].

In March, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen said there had been a significant shipment of Iranian arms to fighters in Kandahar, where ISAF is preparing for an offensive against the Taliban this summer.

New US Commander in Afghanistan

Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal

New Comander of US and NATO Forces in Afghanistan

The Pentagon named a former commander of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) to head the US and NATO forces in Afghanistan. Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal will replace Gen. David McKiernan, who was relieved of command just 11 months after he took charge in Afghanistan. McCrystal will be promoted to the rank of four-star general.

The unexpected change of command clearly signifies the nature of the unconventional war being waged in Afghanistan. The Taliban forces have gained strength recently, and the Pentagon must have wanted an unconventional warfare tactician as commander to check Taliban’s advances.