AP Interview:
Petraeus says tough summer ahead

[March 09, 2011]  KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- The top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan says fighting this summer may be worse than last year but some reduction in American forces is still possible in July.

Gen. David Petraeus tells The Associated Press that he plans to present President Barack Obama with varying levels of troop reductions that accommodate the president's July target for beginning troop withdrawals. He says the extra forces poured in by Obama have secured "modest momentum" in Afghanistan but continues to describe those gains as fragile.

Petraeus spoke Wednesday ahead of a trip to Washington, where he is scheduled to testify on Capitol Hill next week. It will be his first testimony since he took over the Afghan command eight months ago.

[Associated Press]

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