Up To 30K New U.S. Troops To Afghanistan

Joint Chiefs Chairman Says Additional American Forces Will Deploy By Next Summer

(CBS/AP)  The top U.S. military officer said Saturday that the Pentagon could double the number of American forces in Afghanistan by next summer to 60,000 — the largest estimate of potential reinforcements ever publicly suggested.

Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that between 20,000 and 30,000 additional U.S. troops could be sent to Afghanistan to bolster the 31,000 already there.

That's about four brigades, just what NATO's commander in Afghanistan General David McKiernan had asked for, reports CBS News correspondent Kimberly Dozier.

In addition, there will be at least one combat aviation support brigade, to carry all those ground troops wherever they need to go, Dozier reports.

This year has been the deadliest for U.S. forces in Afghanistan since the 2001 invasion to oust the Taliban for hosting al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Suicide attacks and roadside bombs have become more dangerous, and Taliban fighters have infiltrated wide swaths of countryside and now roam in provinces on Kabul's doorstep.

U.S. commanders have long requested an additional 20,000 troops to aid Canadian and British forces in two provinces just outside Kabul and in the south. But the high end of Mullen's range is the largest number any top U.S. military official has said could be sent to Afghanistan.

Mullen said that increase would include combat forces but also aviation, medical and civilian affairs support troops.

"So some 20,000 to 30,000 is the window of overall increase from where we are right now," he told a news conference at a U.S. base in Kabul. "We certainly have enough forces to be successful in combat, but we haven't had enough forces to hold the territory that we clear."

Overall, there are more than 60,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan. Mullen said any increased U.S. deployment would be directly tied to force levels in Iraq, where U.S. commanders are drawing down troops.

"The Taliban and extremists are more sophisticated and effective," Mullen said. "They haven't won any battles but they certainly have increased the level of violence, and we're very focused on that. That's why the additional forces are so important, to be able to provide security for the Afghan people so these other areas can be developed."

U.S. officials already have plans to send four ground brigades and an aviation brigade to Afghanistan. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has approved the deployment of the aviation brigade, defense officials told The Associated Press. And 10th Mountain Division forces will deploy next month to two provinces that neighbor Kabul — Wardak and Logar, which have seen an influx of militants over the last year.

Mullen said that after the additional U.S. troops are added over the next eight months, only improvements in Afghanistan's governance and economic situation will affect the strength of the insurgency.

But the chairman conceded that the U.S. may have misjudged the central government's ability "to have the kind of impact that we wanted."

Afghanistan, Mullen said, has never been run by a strong central government, and the U.S. may look to communities and tribes in the country's provinces to take on a greater role in future strategy.

He called U.S. goals in Afghanistan "moderate," and said the long-term U.S. vision is for a country that can govern itself while respecting international law, while providing both material and economic security for its people.

[leeanna58]

Killing will not achieve anything, this message is for both sides of any conflicts.

Posted by niceface19

It will decrease the population of the earth.

[niceface19]

Killing will not achieve anything, this message is for both sides of any conflicts.

[intheshade-2009]

The administration of the war in Afghanistan does not seem to be focused on winning a war or on achieving any kind of military objective. The whole objective of the war seems to be very confused and clouded, and changes daily. Could it be that the whole reason for deploying our troops in Afghanistan is to keep them there so that we can build an oil pipeline from the Caspian over to the lucrative Indian sub continent? The US could be in a position to control all the Caspian oil flowing into India, and US and British oil companies could reap the rewards. Any idea of sending troops to Afghanistan to achieve an objective and then pulling them out is counter to the interest of big oil and to the strategic interest of the US.

[DDouville]

Iraq was actually a threat to the US, although that was not grounds to justify an attack. Do you think Saddam would not have liked to extract revenge for his defeat in the first Gulf War? He was a terror threat to the US, make no mistake about it.

[DDouville]

As usual, the purpose of the US mission in Afganistan has been diluted and now we are in murky water. What are we going to do, stay there forever to keep the Taliban from gaining power? Get our troops off their soil, stop angering the entire Arab world by supplying Israel with sophisticated U.S. weaponry! Israel can defend itself, they have nuclear weapons for God''s sake. I am telling you, listen carefully, we are pushing these people into a corner and motivating them to stage another Sept. 11 style attack on the United States, and that doesn''t mean they would use commercial jets this time. They have almost unlimited financial support, our leaders are choosing a road that is going to cost the United States. This whole terror thing is overblown, and we are making it even bigger, forcing another slaughter of innocent American people. Remember what I wrote here, and don''t say I didn''t tell you so.

[notfooled]

If Bush had just stayed in Afghanistan and finished defeating the people who attacked us instead of rushing off to steal Iraq''s oil, we wouldn''t be in this mess.

Posted by CaribouBarbi at 03:40 PM : Dec 21, 2008

Time to wake up ! The ones who are responsible for the 911 attacks are sitting in the white house right now.

War for profit and blinders for the sheeple.

[notfooled]

Yay ! Never ending war ! Just think of the profits exterminating another half-million humans will bring us!

Shame on all those who support this war for profit and the Bush/Cheney crime syndicate.

And quoting UN resolutions won''t save your blackened souls for supporting this bloodbath.

[cariboubarbi]

Posted by Abrame at 02:34 PM : Dec 21, 2008


Blah..blah..cut and paste....blah...blah...

What threat did Iraq pose to us?

[cariboubarbi]

If Bush had just stayed in Afghanistan and finished defeating the people who attacked us instead of rushing off to steal Iraq''s oil, we wouldn''t be in this mess.

[fjinnw]

Benny, bring me everyone. EVERYONE!!

[niceface19]

It''s like a dog trying to bite its own tail.

[inventagod2]

Get ready, kids, it''s the new VietNam!

Anyone ask why we REALLY have to go to a country that has rebuffed all attempts in history of external rule???

[niceface19]

good idea, but not enough, they need 300 millions troops over there.

[sandy19731]

Wanted to be the first to say:
The surge will not work.

/seriously, it will not work!

[slinginrich]

Time for you two to go sign up and fight for your Messiah.


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Posted by hillaryin016 at 02:16 AM : Dec 21, 2008
+ report abuse

Time for you to move out of Mom''s Basement, seek Gainful Employment, and take another stab at that ever elusive GED....LOL

[babooph]

The war against Islam will not likely end-it is the largest growing religon& ,in small pockets ,has been fighting with Christianity since its start.Seems a waste for both religons.

[wardoglrs]

Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master... George Washington

For the want of a nail,the shoe was lost,for the want of a shoe the horse was lost,for the want of a horse the rider lost,being overtaken and slain by the enemy, all for the want of care about a horseshoe nail.
Benjamin Franklin

[slinginrich]

A coincedence,,,Pulling troops out of
Iraq where they assured that our oil Gods
will eventually sign oil contracts and
redeploying them where they will help
complete the project to cut out Russia''''s
supplying oil to many European countries
there-by assuring that our oil Gods will
eventially sign oil contracts.

Cant wait for the talking point:,,,

"We have to stop Russia over there
so we dont have to stop Russia over here."

Any leader, Obama included, that commits to
victory in Afghanistan doesn''''t care all that
much for their countries'''' youthful lives.


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Posted by ajaxtheleast at 06:54 PM : Dec 20, 2008
+ report abuse

But think of the War Profiteering $Cash$ to be made......American Soldiers lives were never a matter of any concern in Iraq. It''s all about the Benjamins.

[ajaxtheleast]

A coincedence,,,Pulling troops out of
Iraq where they assured that our oil Gods
will eventually sign oil contracts and
redeploying them where they will help
complete the project to cut out Russia''s
supplying oil to many European countries
there-by assuring that our oil Gods will
eventially sign oil contracts.

Cant wait for the talking point:,,,

"We have to stop Russia over there
so we dont have to stop Russia over here."

Any leader, Obama included, that commits to
victory in Afghanistan doesn''t care all that
much for their countries'' youthful lives.

[hetup-2009]

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