Gen Jones: More Troops Not "Off the Table"

(CBS)  President Obama's National Security Adviser, Gen. Jim Jones, said current assessments and discussions about sending additional U.S. forces to Afghanistan is not "off the table" on "Face the Nation" Sunday.

"I did not say that troop strength is off the table for discussion," Jones told CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent and "Face the Nation" Anchor Bob Schieffer. "What I did say is we have yet to be able to measure the implementation of the new strategy."

"We will see within a year whether this strategy is working and then we will adjust from there."

He said that the strategy announced in March contains "three legs": more security, economic development and better local government.

"We want to put an Afghan capacity together as quickly as possible," Jones argued.

He said that the Department of Defense and Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. commander, are currently conducting an assessment which will be evaluated by Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Mr. Obama.

Schieffer pushed Jones. "That sounds like you are getting us ready for sending more troops to Afghanistan."

Jones revealed that Gates told Mr. Obama when the Afghanistan troop surge was announced that there was no need to make a decision on additional forces "that were on the charts" - which has currently come up for discussion.

The retired general admitted that he thought "we did not have a well implemented strategy until March of this year" when Schieffer asked when Americans will know how well we are doing in Afghanistan.

"Yes, we have been there six years," he said but the plan developed in March was really a first step to progress.

"I don't think we are at a crisis level" in Afghanistan, Jones said when asked about a secret meeting between top military officials last weekend. He also noted the importance of the upcoming Afghani election.

"There is going to be a little more fighting. Unfortunately we are going to take more casualties," he said.

[wyodutch]

Well, with no jobs available other than slinging burgers or washing cars... Lots of young folks available as cannon fodder.

[harpoot]

Of course, more cannon fodder. Always a solution for the brain dead politicians.

[edgy44]

When we start talking about an exit strategy for Germany and Korea, then we'll be ready for an exit strategy for the war against the savages of the unadministered areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan. I don't see why we would want to spend any less time in Afghanistan, then we've spent in Germany or Korea.

[wyodutch]

"I don't see why we would want to spend any less time in Afghanistan, then we've spent in Germany or Korea."
.
Of course you don't... Reason being... you've never been in uniform and always prefer paying someone else to die in your wars while you sit at home, contemplating your navel.

[vuenbelvue]

Creeper 00
Casualties by month in Afghanistan - Year 2009
Jan. - 25
Feb. - 24
Mar. - 28
Apr. - 14
May - 27
Jun. - 38
Jul. - 76 !
Aug. - 20 as of the ninth day of the month

Viet Nam in 1970
January thru December - 515 dead per month average -
Is it acceptable to have a 10-15 year plan that includes rebuilding or building new buildings in every city for schools, hospitals and administration including US Military housing? Training everyone there to work. Rebuild or Build all new roads and bridges? Rebuild or build new water treatment and purification plants maybe to include damns? To upgrade the agricultural system from top to bottom with US farm specialists and agents with donated equipment, seed, fertilizer and pesticides? Add financial system that includes loans and accountability of the money. $1 trillion U S Dollars? More? Who knows? This is what our government is planning to do. $1 trillion is equal to $1.5 trillion with interest to China.

[wyzguy11]

Our military is stretched to thin. Let's wait until Iraqii's take control on their own security before getting more aggresive in Afghanistan.

That is of course unless we see Dubya's new son-in-law enlisting in the near future. Then I'm all for it. Like that will happen!!!

[drsuz]

by wyzguy11 August 9, 2009 6:43 PM EDT
Our military is stretched to thin.

It will all be taken care of. It is called "reinstatement of the draft".

However, It WOULD solve Obama's healthcare crisis and unemployment crisis. All those poor/poverty people without health insurance or a job WILL be covered.

[HGOODGUY]

I RAELLY DO NOT THINK THAT OUR GOVERNMENT AND MILITARY HAVE LEARNED ANYTHING FROM OUR POST WORLD WAR 2 INCURSIONS.

MAYBE THIS MIGHT OPEN UP THOSE CLOSED OFF MINDS!!!

KOREAN WAR---35,000 DEAD
VIET NAM WAR 50,000 DEAD
IRAQ WAR--4800 DEAD
AFGHANISTAN WAR--STILL COUNTING

THE ONLY RESULT OF ALL OF THIS HAS BEEN THE RETURNING OF THOUSANDS OF SOLDIERS THAT HAVE BEEN BOTH MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY BROKEN!!!!

IN NONE OF THESE WARS WAS THERE EVER ANY REAL DANGER TO THIS COUNTRY. 9/11 WOULD, AND STILL COULD HAVE HAPPENED FROM ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD BECAUSE TERRORISM IS GLOBAL AND NOT CONFINED TO ONE PLACE

KOREA ENDED WITH A CEASE FIRE
VIET NAM ENDED WITH US FINALLY JUST LEAVING
IRAQ SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED
AFGHANISTAN---WHAT THE HELL ARE WE REALLY DOING THERE???

THE OTHER CIVILIZED COUNTRIES MUST A LOT SMARTER THAN US BECAUSE WE ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT PUT LIVES ON THE LINE AND I STILL WANT TO KNOW WHY!!!!

BEING 70 YEARS OLD DOES NOT MAKE ANYONE SMARTER, BUT IT DOES GIVE US HISTORICAL REFERENCE THAT MAKES THE PAST CRYSTAL CLEAR!!

WHEN YOU ARE THE STRONGEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO WAVE GUNS AND FLAGS AROUND TO PROVE IT!!!

I AM, BY NO MEANS A WEAK PACIFIST BUT WHEN IT COMES TO LOSING LIVES--CHOOSE CAREFULLY AND BE VERY SURE OF WHAT THAY ARE FIGHTING FOR!!!!

[formrusmcsgt]

The dubya administration was content to let Afghanistan percolate along, year after year, with no progress whatsoever. It kept the contracts in place.

Now, we have a group that is seriosly interested in strategies that are not formulated on an open-ended quagmire scenario for the benefit of defense contractors.

[wyodutch]

Well... After generations of stepping forward and serving in America's wars... our family ain't marchin' anymore.
.
High time the Bush, Cheney, Obama, Pelosi, Limbaugh, Hannity, Perle and Wolfowitz families traded-in their cheerleaders skirts for a set of fatigues and put their arses where their mouths have been.

[ffoulkes-2009]

Oh, I get it. After generations of respectful and honorable veterans, you are now going the sorry-arsed whiney protester route...I get it.

[drsuz]

Another Presidential Campaign promise broken..Did Obama not say he would be bring 'all our troops home' by the end of the year once he is elected?

Obama wants troops home by spring ?08
Illinois senator, presidential candidate introduces bill to force redeployment
MSNBC updated 9:31 p.m. CT, Tues., Jan. 30, 2007
WASHINGTON - Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama said Tuesday U.S. combat forces should be out of Iraq by spring 2008 to end ?a foreign policy disaster,? but he stopped short of endorsing a cutoff in funds. ?If we simply cut off funding without any structure for how a redeployment takes place, then you could genuinely have a Constitutional crisis or at least a crisis on the ground where the president continues to send troops there but now they?re being shortchanged in terms of armaments and support,? Obama said.

Obama: Bring Troops Home by End of '08
Posted Sep 12, 07 4:44 PM CDT in Politics, US | Share Newser
(Newser Summary) ? Iraq troop withdrawals should be completed by the end of next year, Barack Obama says in a speech obtained by Reuters that was to be delivered in Iowa tonight. ?We have to begin to end this war now,? the Democratic presidential candidate demands; his plan calls for one or two US combat brigades to leave Iraq each month, with all troops out by the end of 2008.

Right from barackobama.com
A Responsible, Phased Withdrawal
Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe we must be as careful getting out of Iraq as we were careless getting in. Immediately upon taking office, Obama will give his Secretary of Defense and military commanders a new mission in Iraq: ending the war. The removal of our troops will be responsible and phased, directed by military commanders on the ground and done in consultation with the Iraqi government. Military experts believe we can safely redeploy combat brigades from Iraq at a pace of 1 to 2 brigades a month that would remove them in 16 months. That would be the summer of 2010

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (AP)Created: Saturday, February 28, 2009 4:57 a.m. CDT ? President Barack Obama consigned the Iraq war to history Friday, declaring he will end combat operations within 18 months and open a new era of diplomacy in the Middle East. ?Let me say this as plainly as I can: By August 31, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end,? Obama told Marines who are about to deploy by the thousands to the other war front, Afghanistan.


Sure..He will have them reolcated all into Afghanistan. Doesn't quite seem like HOME I bet for those guys does it?

[veritas_1212]

I don't see, especially from the statements you have posted, that Obama has broken his promise at all. He said during the campaign that if elected, he would send additional troops to Afghanistan. He is removing combat troops from Iraq as quickly as is prudent based on the advice of the commanders in the field.

[ffoulkes-2009]

veritas, that is exactly what Bush was doing. 'Removing troops as quickly as is prudent based on the advice of the commanders in the field.'

Of course that was Bush and this is Obama...makes all the difference, doesn't it?

[creeper00]

Jones has his head up and locked when he says this:
"we did not have a well implemented strategy until March of this year"

Here's what their "well-implemented strategy" has resulted in so far.
Casualties by month in Afghanistan - Year 2009
Jan. - 25
Feb. - 24
Mar. - 28
Apr. - 14
May - 27
Jun. - 38
Jul. - 76 !
Aug. - 20 as of the ninth day of the month

Read it and weep:
http://www.icasualties.org/oef/

[speakinup22]

Whenever an army goes on the offensive casualties go up. It means they are meeting more resistance. And, while the deaths are regretable, it means more of the enemy are being eliminated too.

I do, however, wonder where all of rest of the indignant, self righteous, anti-war protestors are on this proposed increase of troops in Afghanistan. Could it be that since it is barry's watch, this is now a virtuous war ? Or, did they drop off the face of the planet ?

[SusanStoHelit]

Bush's "stragegery" resulted in fewer casualties - unless you count the women and children and men being murdered as our troops did very little, and were understaffed and underequipped to handle their mission. The former "strategy" was doing next to nothing to stabilize Afghanistan. Now that we are doing work - yes, casualties will happen. Failure to accept that fact lead to Bin Laden getting away. Yes, war means people pay with their life to protect our country. But that is what they are doing. To pretend we can avoid all death is nonsense.