NATO commander says Taliban offensive likely in the spring, despite allied successes

By Paul Ames
Associated Press Writer
CASTEAU, Belgium (AP) — NATO troops in Afghanistan must be prepared for the likelihood of a new offensive by Taliban insurgents when the winter relents, despite recent battlefield successes against the insurgents, the alliance’s new supreme commander said Wednesday.
“I think we can probably expect some sort of spring resurgence,’’ warned U.S. Gen. John Craddock, who took over as NATO’s top commander this month. “That’s been the history of the last several years, I don’t know why we would expect something different.’’
Craddock spoke to reporters at NATO’s military headquarters in southern Belgium after his first trip to Afghanistan since taking command. Two weeks ago he replaced Gen. James L. Jones, who is retiring.
Craddock said he’d returned optimistic from Afghanistan, saying NATO troops had inflicted significant casualties on the Taliban in recent fighting and made progress in building up the Afghan army and developing tactics to deal with Taliban suicide attacks and roadside bombs.
However, five years to the day since the U.N. passed a resolution setting up the international peacekeeping force in Afghanistan, he said allies should be prepared for a long campaign. “There is considerable progress, there is still a long way to go,’’ he said.
NATO troops were working through the winter to maintain pressure on the Taliban, but he said the extreme weather conditions made it difficult for allied soldiers to operate in the mountainous regions where the insurgents have hideouts.
“There were significant actions last summer and into the fall that severely hurt the Taliban, they suffered many casualties,’’ Craddock said. “We need to work through the winter the ways that we can in order to influence the spring outcome.’’
The insurgents have repeatedly dismissed NATO casualty claims as vastly inflated.
Craddock said NATO still wanted allies to step forward with more troops and equipment for the 32,000 strong International Stabilization Assistance Force and reduce restrictions on what tasks their troops could do in Afghanistan. However, while recent appeals have focused on the need for more combat troops, especially in the Taliban’s southern heartlands, Craddock stressed the importance of getting the military to help with development work that will win over public opinion.
Looking beyond Afghanistan, Craddock welcomed news this week that the U.S. Defense Department has sent a proposal to President George W. Bush recommending the creation of a new U.S. military command for Africa.
Currently responsibility for Africa is split among several U.S. military headquarters, including the European Command which Craddock took over along with his NATO job. The Pentagon feels Africa has increasing strategic significance in areas ranging from counterterrorism, humanitarian operations, regional conflict management and protecting energy routes.
“From many perspectives it’s increasingly important for the United States,’’ Craddock said.

Man jailed for denying Holocaust released on probation

By Veronika Oleksyn
Associated Press Writer
VIENNA, Austria (AP) — British author David Irving, imprisoned on charges of denying the Holocaust, will be released to serve the rest of his three-year sentence on probation, Vienna’s highest court ruled Wednesday.
The court granted Irving’s appeal and converted two-thirds of his sentence into probation, said Anton Sumerauer, vice president and spokesman for the court. Since Irving has already spent more than 13 months behind bars, the ruling means he will be released from prison, he said.
The Austrian government said late Wednesday that a deportation notice for Irving had been issued.
In February, a Vienna court sentenced Irving to three years imprisonment under a 1992 law which applies to “whoever denies, grossly plays down, approves or tries to excuse the National Socialist genocide or other National Socialist crimes against humanity in a print publication, in broadcast or other media.’’
The law calls for a prison term of up to 10 years.
During his one-day trial earlier this year, Irving pleaded guilty to the charge of denying the Holocaust but maintained he never questioned it in the first place.
Both the defense and the prosecution appealed the sentence. In September, Austria’s Supreme Court upheld Irving’s conviction.
Irving has been in custody since his November 2005 arrest on charges stemming from two speeches he gave in Austria in 1989 for which he was accused of denying the Nazis’ extermination of 6 million Jews. He has contended that most of those who died at concentration camps like Auschwitz succumbed to diseases such as typhus rather than execution.
Irving was present at Wednesday’s hearing and was brought into the packed courtroom in handcuffs.
During the session, senior public prosecutor Marie-Luise Nittel argued that Irving’s words should “in no way be underestimated.’’
In comments quoted by the Austria Press Agency, Nittel added that Irving was “like an idol, whose words provide the basis for the right wing scene.’’
Irving’s lawyer argued that his client should be freed because of his age, his family situation, and the large time span between his action and his trial, Austrian radio reported.
Once the verdict was announced, Irving said “Your Honor, thank you,’’ according to APA.
Austrian radio also reported that Irving would give his first interview in England.
Efraim Zuroff, director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Israel, said the court’s ruling was the “worst possible response to last week’s Holocaust denial conference in Tehran and will only encourage those who support these mad ideas.’’
Iris Rosenberg, spokeswoman for Yad Vashem, Israel’s official Holocaust memorial, echoed Zuroff’s comments. She said the court ruling “may send the inaccurate message that Holocaust deniers can spew their lies about history with impunity.’’