WASHINGTON, July 3, 2008
Bush: More Troops To Afghanistan By 2009
President Reiterates Promise To Bolster Force On Increasingly Bloody Battlefield
-
-
Photo
Confiscated fireworks made in China, lower left, on display during a news conference by the Oakland fire department in Oakland, Calif., Wednesday, July 2, 2008. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
-
Photo
A frame grab from television footage reportedly shows Afghan militants holding weapons next to the burning wreckage of a vehicle in Wardak province, Afghanistan, on Thursday, June 26, 2008. (APTN)
-
-
Play CBS Video
Video
Understanding Afghanistan
Katie Couric speaks with chief foreign affairs correspondent Lara Logan about U.S. policy in Afghanistan and why, after seven years of war, terrorist strongholds have not been weakened.
-
Video
Hunting Al Qaeda
The Pentagon is being criticized for failing to dismantle Taliban and al Qaeda holdouts in Afghanistan's frontier regions, raising fears of another terrorist attack on U.S. soil. David Martin reports.
-
Video
A Look At Afghanistan And Pakistan
CBS News Foreign Affairs Analyst Pam Falk discusses the latest from Afghanistan and Pakistan, including the resurgence of al-Qaeda.
-
Fast Facts
Afghanistan
Learn about the people, economy and history.
-
Interactive
Assault On Al Qaeda
The manhunt on the Afghan-Pakistan border.
In fact, it was the deadliest month for U.S. troops in Afghanistan since the conflict began.
"One reason why there have been more deaths is because our troops are taking the fight to a tough enemy, an enemy who doesn't like our presence there because they don't like the idea of America denying safe haven (to terrorists)," Mr. Bush told reporters Wednesday. "Of course there's going to be resistance."
Mr. Bush said it was a tough month too for the Taliban fighters. The former ruling Islamic militants have rebounded with deadly force since their overthrow 6½ years ago by U.S.-led troops.
More U.S. and NATO troops have died in the past two months in Afghanistan than in Iraq, a place with triple the number of U.S. and allied forces.
In June, 28 Americans died in Afghanistan. That was the highest monthly total of the war, which began in October 2001.
For the full U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan the death toll was 46, also the highest of the war.
Afghan troops and national police have also suffered increasing casualties in recent months. Most recently, a police chief said Thursday a roadside blast had killed five Afghan soldiers in central Afghanistan.
Provincial police Chief Mustapha Khan said the blast hit an Afghan army convoy late Wednesday in Logar province. Gunfire brought down a U.S. UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter in the same province on Wednesday, but no U.S. personnel were hurt.
Mr. Bush confronted the grim direction of the Afghanistan conflict during a sun-splashed appearance in the Rose Garden of the White House. The president used the event to promote his agenda for a coming meeting in Japan of the Group of Eight industrialized countries, then spoke about Iran, climate change and gasoline prices in a short session with reporters.
The Pentagon predicts the pace of attacks in Afghanistan by a resurgent Taliban is likely to rise this year, despite U.S.-led efforts to capture major leaders.
"We're going to increase troops by 2009," Mr. Bush said, without offering details of exactly when or how many.
It amounted to a reiteration by Mr. Bush of a promised buildup of U.S. troops in Afghanistan. He said coalition forces have doubled in size over two years and pledged that the twin strategy of fighting extremists and supporting Afghanistan's civil development "is going to work."
Quote
The U.S. Defense Department's top military officer said Wednesday that if security continues to improve in Iraq he is hopeful he will begin to have troops available to shift to Afghanistan by the end of this year. Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said more troops are essential to stem the violence.This is an ongoing, constant struggle to defend our own security.
President Bush"The Taliban and their supporters have, without question, grown more effective and more aggressive in recent weeks, and as the casualty figures clearly demonstrate," Mullen said. He added that "there's no easy solution, and there will be no quick fix."
In terms of public attention, the war in Afghanistan has been obscured by the far costlier and deadlier one in Iraq.
It is a matter of consensus, however, within the Bush administration and between the United States and major allies, that there are far too few troops in Afghanistan to fight the accelerating Taliban and to train Afghan soldiers and police.
Overall, roughly 32,000 U.S. troops are in Afghanistan, including 14,000 with NATO forces and 18,000 conducting training and counterinsurgency.
That is the largest U.S. presence since the war began.
Afghanistan, not Iraq, was the original target after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The United States led the ouster of the hard-line Taliban regime in late 2001 for providing haven to terrorists, including al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
The latest assessment from the Pentagon, released last week, describes a dual terror threat in Afghanistan: the Taliban in the south, and "a more complex, adaptive insurgency" in the east, comprising groups ranging from al Qaeda and Afghan warlords to Pakistani militants.
Military officials say security has deteriorated in large part because of the lawless, tribal border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Mr. Bush said he will seek to remind his peers at the G-8 summit that the battle against violent extremists goes on.
"The temptation is to kind of say, well, maybe this isn't really a war, maybe this is just a bunch of disgruntled folks that occasionally come and hurt us," Mr. Bush said. "You know, that's not the way I feel about it. This is an ongoing, constant struggle to defend our own security."
The other G-8 nations are Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Russia. The summit will be the last of Mr. Bush's presidency.
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
- 1
- 2
- next
See all 82 CommentsThe Rest of America: Not If We Have Anything To Say About It...
Your frustration is indeed warranted, but part of the reason these idiots can literally get away with murder is because many people have mistakenly accepted Bush''s core lie, that Al Qaeda is "the enemy".
Al Qaeda is a CIA construct, doing their bidding, and acting as the boogie man for Bush. Not only is the evidence public information, I have also posted several times the words of the late British foreign affairs minister Robin Cook, who testified so before the House of commons in England.
It is in fact Bush who is the real enemy, "Al CIAda''s" score of dead Americans is less than Bush''s, as is their score of dead, displaced, tortured, and mutilated Iraqis. Not to forget to mention the destruction of our constitution, and the abrogation of the rights guaranteed in it, which is directly Bush''s fault.
On the scorecard of danger done to America, Bush wins by any measure.
yir 9 years late dude ! the REAL enemy was always in Afghanistan, you blithering idiot!
give us a break and our mis-used military in iraq and leave office earlier then planned!
Republicans stand up and have the nerve to say that Obama doen''t have a track record and they actually have the Ballss to claim Bushit record - which is all FAILURE! Just look at his past - failure after failure that Daddy''s friends had to help him out of.
Republicans like failure - That''s why they like McBush.
I say republicans should be stamped out like the disease AIDS - they are draining America like the disease drains life from a person.
Republicans have Shiite for Brains!
You might look less like one yourself, if you could post some logical reasons as to why you might disagree with skyk''s points and conclusions.
Well, kinda tooooo late, ''cause he stirred up some much c rap in Iraq, it''s going to take a decade to straighten that out.
Of course he does know that all of us SECOND AMENDMENT TYPES are armed and would resist a fascist takeover by him and DARTH VADER.
to go off nation-building in iraq -
our troops were ordered to leave and sent on to where the oil was -
they created a new terrorist training ground in iraq
and allowed the taliban to recover
and even gave old osama a break to find a new cave -
back to square one - thank you bushit!
I second that., I have NEVER been in favor of the Iraqi War. I argued against Iraq with many "Patriotic Americans", and was called the many thing others here spew out. GWB should have NEVER started that mess.
My opposition was not one of patriotism in Iraq, but one of common sense. Common sense into the destabilization of that entire area, as is occurring now, thanks to GWB and crew.
There were other ways to topple Sadam, Odie and others. They are called "snipers".
Then Bonehead Bush took his eye of the ball.
Now, the Taliban have re-constituted and stronger than ever.
Al Qaeda has re-constituted and stronger than ever.
Iraq turned out to be a great recruitment program for Al Qaeda.
The poppy fields had a bumper cash crop this year.
God, I hop OBAMA does better.
Posted by FloydZepp2
--------------------------------------
Please everyone take this as humorously as it is intended...but, this is ironic.
Two years ago, I told my wife,
"I''d vote for a monkey this next election."
Looks like I''m going to get my wish.
I know...very un-PC :-)
Agree with you 100%.
Now, turn your CAPS off. They''re hurting my eyes :-)
Posted by jjp735i at 08:32 AM : Jul 03, 2008
--------------------
The Generals DID tell Boneheaded Bush.
He fired the 1st one...Gen Shinzechi (sp?)
The military knew Iraq would be a disasater.
I kills me, after everything went FUBAR, how Bonedeaded Bush always uses the term.
"Well, I listen to the commanders on the ground."
Obama WILL listen to his experts.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by jjp735i at 08:32 AM : Jul 03, 2008
----------------
Blame former Defense Bumbler Donald Dumsfuk. He wanted to fight wars using the American Business Major Model of cheap, easy but with big profits.
He turned the US Chair Force into the 101st Air Combat Business Major Batallion. Nothing but pretty little business majors and many-zippered sun god worshipers with well-kept hair and fingernails.
Posted by jerriemc23 at 08:17 AM : Jul 03, 2008
-------------
Shrub Apologist. Yawn.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by rharrin1 at 08:39 AM : Jul 03, 2008
-----------------
Besides, the "Greatest" "Republican" President of all time, His Most Holy Reagan, sent Donald Rumsfeld to Iraq to shake Saddam''s hand and offer him America''s undying love and friendship back in the day.
I thought "Republicans" loved Saddam?
I wonder how many innocent people Saddam killed in 6 years and how many we have killed in 6 years.
Of course he does know that all of us SECOND AMENDMENT TYPES are armed and would resist a fascist takeover by him and DARTH VADER.
Posted by HHROAMS
Finally a GOOD reason for the 2nd Amendment
I wonder how many innocent people Saddam killed in 6 years and how many we have killed in 6 years.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by frootloop47 at 08:48 AM : Jul 03, 2008
Big difference there LIB. He was killing innocents and the U.S. military is killing armed insurgents. That''s OK LIB, we know you denounce America every chance you get.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by FloydZepp2 at 08:45 AM : Jul 03, 2008
Are you really that ignorant.
-----------------
Wonder where you get this understanding from? Can you show us where you saw this information?
you got my post COMPLETLY wrong. i don''t like thier prez, didn''t vote for him either time and i think he wanted us to go to war from 01/09/01 and did everything in his pwr to get us there (war makes $$$), what i''m saying is: we as Americans aren''t doing anything about it, but write on blogs about how much we hate each other and this admin. We could''ve written our congressmen/women, protested louder etc, but we didn''t. i''m looking forward to him going to jail for war crimes...
Now, who''''s being ignorant?! Tell that to the families who have had loved one''''s murdered as "collateral damage." Posted by nokoolaid
-----------------
Although unfortunate and extremely difficult, most families understand the potential consequences when their loved ones serve their country in the military. A sailor was killed on a firing range in Virginia last week also - is that GW Bushs fault also. But your jaded views to discredit honorable service to the betterment of your democratic party is rather shallow though.
Now, who''''s being ignorant?! Tell that to the families who have had loved one''''s murdered as "collateral damage."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by nokoolaid at 09:06 AM : Jul 03, 2008
Why do LIBS call our fine, brave men and women in uniform MURDERERS?
you got my post COMPLETLY wrong. i don''''t like thier prez, didn''''t vote for him either time and i think he wanted us to go to war from 01/09/01 and did everything in his pwr to get us there (war makes $$$), what i''''m saying is: we as Americans aren''''t doing anything about it, but write on blogs about how much we hate each other and this admin. We could''''ve written our congressmen/women, protested louder etc, but we didn''''t. i''''m looking forward to him going to jail for war crimes...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by jerriemc23 at 09:11 AM : Jul 03, 2008
---------
I''ll go back and re-read your post. Maybe I just mistook you.
Cheers!
Posted by mbcsmith at 09:12 AM : Jul 03, 2008
--------------
Tell that to the family of the 14-year-old Iraqi girl raped, murdered and burned. Oh, wait, they were murdered too.
You screeching NASCAR Bumpkin. What a hoot.
February 12, 1998 John J. Maresca vp of UNOCAL oil appeared before a House sub committee. The purpose of the meeting was to gain support for exploitation of oil & natural gas resources, for the rights purchased by BIG OIL in the Caspian Sea area.
In his testimony he stated, "The key question is how the energy resources of Central Asia can be made available to nearby Asian markets ". The exploitation option stated : "One obvious route south would cross Iran, but this is foreclosed by American companies because of U.S. sanctions (with Iran ) . The only other possible route is across Afghanistan, which of course has it''s own unique challenges. " He continued saying, " the pipeline we have proposed across Afghanistan could not begin until a recognized government is in place that has the confidence of governments,lenders (world monitary fund & world bank ) ,and our company "......"
UNOCAL and other American companies are prepared to undertake the job ".
------------------------------
Just like your boy Obama - the more you speak - the more damage you cause. Your unpatriotic spirit is typical of Obama supporters and the American public is starting to realize that fact.
You screeching NASCAR Bumpkin. What a hoot.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by FloydZepp2 at 09:21 AM : Jul 03, 2008
Typical LIB loves bashing the entire military because of a bad apple. I guess all LIBS are ignorant anti-American bumpkins just because you are.
More than a year and half before 911 the CIA Special Activities Division was conducting operations in Afghanistan, trying to topple the Taliban regime for the Caspian Sea Oil & Gas Pipelines...........We now call such activities terror.
February 12, 1998 John J. Maresca vp of UNOCAL oil appeared before a House sub committee. The purpose of the meeting was to gain support for exploitation of oil & natural gas resources, for the rights purchased by BIG OIL in the Caspian Sea area.
In his testimony he stated, "The key question is how the energy resources of Central Asia can be made available to nearby Asian markets ". The exploitation option stated : "One obvious route south would cross Iran, but this is foreclosed by American companies because of U.S. sanctions (with Iran ) . The only other possible route is across Afghanistan, which of course has it''''s own unique challenges. " He continued saying, " the pipeline we have proposed across Afghanistan could not begin until a recognized government is in place that has the confidence of governments,lenders (world monitary fund & world bank ) ,and our company "......"
UNOCAL and other American companies are prepared to undertake the job ".
Posted by mbcsmith at 09:39 AM : Jul 03, 2008
-----------
I''m Republican you nitboy. Why do CONS persistently repeat the same tired, old, boring and false mantra lines over and over? Oh, I know why, they have no intellectual capabilities.
What a hoot the CON Bumpkins are....too bad you''re not Real Republicans.
How true neo cons are dumber than dirt and we swing voters are going to show who really wins the election.
If they think that 2006 was bad wait until November of this year.
- 1
- 2
- next
See all 82 Comments