Gen. McChrystal says Afghan campaign slowed to reduce civilian casualties

McChrystal: US slowed campaign to spare civilians

KABUL — The top U.S. general in Afghanistan says the military campaign around the southern Afghan town of Marjah (MAR’-jah) could have been faster, but the cost in civilian casualties would have been too high.

Gen. Stanley McChrystal says the Marjah campaign could been over in one night. Instead active military operations to rout the Taliban took about three weeks.

McChrystal spoke Monday with reporters traveling with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates in Afghanistan.

The military counts 19 Afghan civilian deaths from errant military action during the Marjah campaign.