18.02.09 - US to Send More Troops to Afghanistan

President Barack Obama has authorised the deployment of up to 17,000 extra US troops to Afghanistan.

Mr Obama said the soldiers had been due to go to Iraq but were being redirected to "meet urgent security needs".
It is the first major military decision by the Obama administration, and comes amid a major review of US policy in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

On Tuesday, the UN said that 2,118 civilians were killed in the conflict in 2008 - an increase of 39% from 2007.
Militants were to blame for 55% of the deaths, while US, Nato and Afghan forces were responsible for 39%, the UN said.

Iraq connection

Mr Obama telephoned Afghan President Hamid Karzai to inform him of the troops increase.

The new US administration has been highly critical of Mr Karzai's government, and it is believed to be the first direct conversation the pair have had since Mr Obama's election.
The additional troops are to be sent before warmer weather brings an expected increase in fighting in Afghanistan, US defence officials said.

During his election campaign Mr Obama promised to withdraw US combat troops from Iraq within 16 months after becoming president, and make Afghanistan his priority.

In his latest statement, Mr Obama said: "The fact that we are going to responsibly drawdown our forces in Iraq allows us the flexibility to increase our presence in Afghanistan."

Afghanistan had "not received the strategic attention, direction and resources it urgently requires", he said.
A senior White House official was quoted by Reuters as saying that a decision on cutting US troop levels in Iraq would be taken within "weeks".

'Strategic attention'

The new deployment will be made up of 8,000 marines, and 4,000 army soldiers, plus another 5,000 support staff. They will serve in the south of Afghanistan, where the violence has been worst.

"The 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, with approximately 8,000 marines will deploy to Afghanistan in late spring 2009," said a statement from the Pentagon.

"The 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division from Ft Lewis, Washington, will deploy approximately 4,000 soldiers to Afghanistan in mid-summer 2009.

"Approximately 5,000 additional troops to support these combat forces will receive deployment orders at a later date."

The US already has about 14,000 troops serving with a Nato-led mission. There are also 19,000 US troops under sole US command charged with fighting Taleban and al-Qaeda insurgents.

US commanders in Afghanistan requested up to 30,000 additional troops last year, and former President George W Bush had repeatedly promised that more troops would be sent.

Analysts say Mr Obama's announcement is largely making good on the promises of the previous administration, rather than sending additional troops to those promised by Mr Bush.

The increase "is necessary to stabilise a deteriorating situation in Afghanistan", Mr Obama said.

"The Taleban is resurgent in Afghanistan, and al-Qaeda supports the insurgency and threatens America from its safe-haven along the Pakistani border."

"I recognise the extraordinary strain that this deployment places on our troops and military families."

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Obama
• Afghanistan
• troops
• america
• US
• U.S.A
• marines
• war
• combat
• surge
• iraq

[SuperSmashShows]

Obama won, America lost.

[iRHAPEzombiies]

People only elected him because he was black. People didn't vote for John because he was against gay sex marriage.

[Crazyman1212]

the only way you will control afganistan is to help the average people "the farmers and business people of afgan, give them power and make them a trade partner. that is the only way you will control afganistan. afganistan is one of the few countries that have NEVER been controlled by a foreign force and it NEVER will, even the russians tried and could not do it, other then wiping out the entire country. war in afganistan will NEVER EVER STOP!!!

"money is more powerful then ANY army!"

[EarthAwakener]

@EarthAwakener Maybe it was the Nopeace Bell prize. 

[EarthAwakener]

One of the most violent Nobel Peace Prize recipients I've ever heard of.

[maiereanh]

obama: wasn't u gonna stop the war?

[Iraqendwar]

No no no, go ahead keep sending those U.S troops to the graveyard of empires..cough cough...er....Afghanistan. Anyways guerillas can't be killed by airstrikes, naval strikes, and ground strikes of any kind.

Terrorism is an idea and ideas are the most powerful weapons in the world. It will not and can not be stopped because anyone, anytime...can be a terrorist. And how can u call iraqis or afghan terrorists when they fight against...the invading and occupying military? hmm?

[syamsancu]

you know some of the american soldiers who died in afganistan were killed by the taliban mujahidin using the americans overtaken weapon. haha It such a boomerang. to all american soldiers: Keep fighiting untill you die for nothing, or just bitray your lord, convert to islam then join the Taliban movement fight back against your former fellow soldier,

[syamsancu]

@allamericans. go down street. strike against your president

[syamsancu]

juST Keep sending your troops to Afganistan, that the Taliban Mujahidin will burn them out. you wthdraw them in dead bodies or some of them did suiside in an unknown valley out of mental pressure. some others go home full of regret why should they have served their country in such a way of being honored by naif americans lossing either of their parts of body. unless you send your troops to mideast fighting against Israel grabbing the palestinians' land.

[yandykun]

@Jgooden00 i believe that votes count,obama had millions of voters,didnt you see that everyone was saying WE NEED THE CHANGE ?ohh yea we got the change

[Jgooden00]

@DriverFan1 your a nigger, you really believed your vote would count