Fort Leavenworth ? Germany’s ambassador to the United States said Wednesday that increased training of Afghan security forces to defend their nation was critical to ending the eight-year war.

Klaus Scharioth told a gathering of faculty and students at the Army’s Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth that Germans were committed to providing forces and capabilities in Afghanistan.

Scharioth said turning Afghanistan into a stable country and rooting out safe havens for terrorists will take time and patience. However, recent national elections that remain unresolved will help the process. But by setting realistic targets, Germany, NATO and the United States can set conditions for success.

The ambassador said progress has been made since 2001, citing new infrastructure, elections, and more women and children attending schools. In addition, more Afghans have access to medical care or hospitals than before the U.S.-led invasion to oust the Taliban.

But violence has increased as the United States has increased its troop levels and since the national elections in August.

As more Afghan army and police forces are trained, he said, more of the security responsibility can be transferred from the multinational force. There are 4,250 German troops in Afghanistan, with a ceiling of 4,500, and the nation has spent $1.7 billion to date on the war effort and reconstruction.

“It will take a lot of time, effort and sacrifice,” Scharioth said.

The ambassador touched on the controversy regarding an airstrike called by a German officer on Taliban forces after two fuel trucks were hijacked. The strike killed dozens of Afghan civilians and the matter is under investigation. Scharioth urged critics not to jump to conclusions about the airstrike.

“If we want the Afghans to see us as partners instead of occupiers, we need to go out of our way to prevent civilian casualties,” he said. “The Taliban goes out of its way to make that happen to discredit our efforts. Every civilian casualty is one too many.”