U.S. May Double Afghanistan Troop Buildup

Newer Estimate Reflects Growing Requests For Aviation Units, Engineers To Support Soldiers

(AP)  Military planners now think they may need to send more than double the number of extra troops initially believed needed to help fight the war in Afghanistan.

The buildup in the increasingly violent campaign could amount to more than 20,000 troops rather than the originally planned 10,000, two senior defense officials said Wednesday on condition of anonymity because no new figures have been approved.

The newest calculations reflect growing requests from field commanders in recent weeks for aviation units, engineers and other skills to support the fighting units, the officials said.

Officials had been saying for months that they needed more people to train Afghan security forces and two more combat brigades - a total of some 10,000 people.

Commanders later increased that to the trainers and three combat brigades - or some 15,000, when extra support is included.

Now, military planners say that the number may have to grow yet again by another 5,000 to 10,000 support troops. They would be helicopter units, intelligence teams, engineers to build more bases, medical teams and others to support the fight in the undeveloped nation, where forces have to work around rugged terrain and a lack of infrastructure.

The growing numbers being quoted for the buildup in Afghanistan are not unusual.

President Bush announced in January 2007 that he would send up to 20,000 additional troops to Iraq for what since has become known as the "surge." But the number eventually grew to 30,000 by the time commanders added requests for all the military police, additional aviation needs and other support they wanted.

In Afghanistan, it is far more difficult for troops to operate in the undeveloped nation, which lacks roads, runways and facilities to support troops. And commanders in Afghanistan do not consider this a short-term surge in troops but rather the number that will be needed over a longer period, one official said.

It is unclear whether the number will win approval. Some officials believe it's unwise to build too large a force in Afghanistan, where there is long-held hostility to the presence of foreign forces.

If that large a force is approved, it's also unclear where the Pentagon would get that many extra troops for the Afghan campaign - and how quickly they could be sent.

The Defense Department already has approved the deployment of about 4,000 people - one additional Marine combat battalion and one Army brigade to be sent by January.

But with some 150,000 forces committed in Iraq, the U.S. has not had the available troops to send to Afghanistan. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has often noted that in Afghanistan "we do what we can, in Iraq we do what we must."

The military shortfall in Afghanistan has been a common complaint from commanders. The number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan has grown from fewer than 21,000 two years ago to more than 31,000 today.

[toolmangler-2009]

Now read it from the other side

http://www.soros.org/about/bios/a_soros

[samsel3]

The US needs to get out of Afghanistan. It is over. Iran, Pakistan & India have signed an agreement for the IPI Pipeline which circumvents Cheney s Big Pipe Dream.
Afghan President Karzai and former Pakistani President Musharif were protecting a US led consortium for the TAPI Caspian Sea Pipeline which will supply Southeast Asian markets. Additionaly, 1.6 billion barrels of oil,in the Afghan-Tajik Basin, and 15.7 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, in the Amu Darya Basin will be exploited.
The Taliban reneged on an agreement with Big Oil & Gas before the invasion holding out for a larger share of pipeline tariffs for their people. The US decided a regime change was a better choice.
Taliban leader Mullah Omar said: "There are thousands of security forces ... and it is clear that they are criminal, thieves, and the people can not trust the security forces at all,"
February 12, 1998 John J. Maresca vp of UNOCAL oil appeared before a House sub committee. 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,.." UNOCAL sold it s interest to a US led consortium.

[t_barr]

Stang for Pres!
YOUR NEW PRESIDENT, ZBIG BROTHER;
www.newswithviews.com/Stang/alan170.htm

''As I write, little more than a week remains before E-Day, on which most Americans will vote. Nerves are being fearfully wracked. Even people who are usually somnolent say they can''t take the stress. There is a real danger that, unaddressed, the frustration of choosing between a Communist illegal alien raised by a Communist *** pervert and a POW traitor who is a Soviet front man could lead to an epidemic of Acid Reflux Disease or even an outbreak of Restless Leg Syndrome.

The purpose of this modest piece is to reassure you. Stop tormenting yourself. Further self-flagellation is pointless. Your next President has already been selected. Didn''t you know? Sure, go ahead and vote if you like, if you have nothing else to do, if you don%u2019t mind standing in long lines between Obamatron morons and McCrud zombies, but enjoy the reassurance of knowing that the powers above Ponzi Paulson and Helicopter Ben Bernanke and Co. have already made their choice...''
continued at link

[themassesi]

Ha! HA! HA! Ha! HA! You poor republicans, Sarah Palin has sold her skins for some TV time.

www.chilitoz.com is reporting that Sarah Palin has signed a deal with PlayBoy Magazine to posed partially exposed in a future release of the famous nudity magazine in exchange, Heffner will run a multi-million dollar anti Obama add a day before the election.

[t_barr]

Nancy_Naive at 01:34

Check-out good old George Soros;
www.larouchepac.com/files/pdfs/080618_soros_dossier.pdf

[consciousnes]

Why do they even report such BS when nothing has been decided?
Who cares what people discuss?
Tell us what is actually happening, not what some reporter thinks might happen, that is not reporting the news, it is writing fiction.

[samsel3]

Narcotics enforcement is the real issue.

Posted by Petro49L at 12:41 PM : Oct 29, 2008

Unfortunately, US has a hands-off policy. Troops are told they can pass through the poppy fields but are not to touch the crops. Info from an Army officer returned from Afghanistan to Massachusetts.......

Since the invasion Afghanistan has had record production. When the Taliban were in control they destroyed the crops because it is against their religion.............

[petro49l]

There are many Americans in Iraq. The Sunni Militias and Iraqi Army can easily handle Al Qada. They should be sent to Afghanistan? Bin Laden is running tar heroin, methamphetamine, LSD, PCP, and powerful hashish from Pakistan for a great profit. Narcotics enforcement is the real issue.

[samsel3]

The US needs to get out of Afghanistan. It is over. Iran, Pakistan & India have signed an agreement for the IPI Pipeline which circumvents Cheney s Big Pipe Dream.
Afghan President Karzai and former Pakistani President Musharif were protecting a US led consortium for the TAPI Caspian Sea Pipeline which will supply Southeast Asian markets. Additionaly, 1.6 billion barrels of oil,in the Afghan-Tajik Basin, and 15.7 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, in the Amu Darya Basin will be exploited.
The Taliban reneged on an agreement with Big Oil & Gas before the invasion holding out for a larger share of pipeline tariffs for their people. The US decided a regime change was a better choice.
Taliban leader Mullah Omar said: "There are thousands of security forces ... and it is clear that they are criminal, thieves, and the people can not trust the security forces at all,"
February 12, 1998 John J. Maresca vp of UNOCAL oil appeared before a House sub committee. 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,.." UNOCAL sold it s interest to a US led consortium.

[t_barr]

U.S. May Double Afghanistan Troop Buildup

I don''t need CBS to see this coming. All you have to do is read Obama''s Right Hand Man''s Book. You think it was bad with the Bush Cartel trying to corner the Oil market? Wait till the Obama Cartel begins to implement Brzezinski''s policies. Brzezinski aims much higher, he just wants to conquer Eurasia, i.e. Russia, China, etc. Read his book, he isn''t hiding anything. Oh, that''s right, the average American doesn''t read anymore. For those that do, Read this;
Zbigniew Brzezinski, The Grand Chessboard
American Primacy And It''s Geostrategic Imperatives
Key Quotes From Zbigniew Brzezinksi''s Seminal Book
www.wanttoknow.info/brzezinskigrandchessboard

Then take the time to look at who''s standing behind the two ''Leading'' candidates. Hey, it''s the same bunch of A-Holes that''s been ruining America for the past 30 years. And the funny thing is, people think that a ''Change'' will result from one of these ''candidates'' being elected. News-Flash, it''s the same bunch of A-Holes that''s been around for what seems like forever. Throw them ALL out, it''s the only way to get any type of CHANGE in Washington!

[grouchyjohn]

It''s about time these people started to list to Obama!!