General Petraeus insists he will not be bound by Obama's Afghan exit date

The US army general, David Petraeus, made clear today that he would not be bound by Barack Obama's promise to start withdrawing US troops from Afghanistan by July next year.

In his first interview since taking command of Nato troops in the country less than two months ago, the top general said he could foresee circumstances where conditions would make it impossible for him to recommend a reduction in forces.

Such an outcome would scupper President Obama's plans not to appear bogged down in a worsening Afghanistan conflict as he prepares for re-election in 2012.

Speaking on US television from his headquarters in Kabul, Petraeus said the controversial promise made by Obama in November that a surge of 30,000 US troops would be temporary and would start to be reversed in July 2011 was simply an attempt to increase the urgency of the international effort in Afghanistan.

"I think the president has been quite clear in explaining that it's a process, not an event, and that it's conditions-based," Petraeus said.

Although seen at the time as a smart way of appeasing critics of the war within Obama's own party, the drawdown announcement has been widely criticised for emboldening insurgent groups who saw it as a sign of weakening resolve.

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