Levin Presses Obama To Boost Afghan Security
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Democratic chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee says he urged President Barack Obama to approve a plan to boost the size of the Afghan army and police as the United States looks to begin drawing down its forces in July.
Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan said Tuesday that he spoke to Obama at a White House event a day earlier and urged him to sign off on a proposal to increase the Afghan National Army by about 35,000 to 208,000. The police force would grow to 170,000 by 2012.
Such a step would require U.S. training and spending. At a Capitol Hill news conference, Levin said Obama indicated the plan was under review. The Democrat said it had the backing of U.S. military leaders.
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
