United States (expected to) send 'up to 45,000 more troops to Afghanistan'

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/6330163/United-States-to-send-up-to-45000-more-troops-to-Afghanistan.html ^ | October 14th 2009

[Steelfish]

United States To Send 'Up To 45,000 More Troops To Afghanistan'

The US is expected to announce a significant surge of up to 45,000 extra troops for Afghanistan after Gordon Brown said that 500 more British troops would be sent to the country.

By James Kirkup and Andrew Hough 14 Oct 2009

Newsnight reported he would announce a surge in troop numbers.

President Barack Obama's administration is understood to have told the British government that it could announce, as early as next week, the substantial increase to its 65,000 troops already serving there.

The decision from Mr Obama comes after he considered a request from General Stanley McChrystal, the US commander in Afghanistan, to send tens of thousands of extra American troops to the country.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, the Chief of the Defence Staff, said: "I don't want to put words in the mouths of the Americans but I am fairly confident of the way it is going to come out."

An announcement next week could coincide with a meeting of NATO defence ministers in Bratislava, Slovakia, due next Thursday and Friday.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs dismissed the claims, after President Obama met with his war council for the fifth time to map out a new strategy in Afghanistan. "I would not put any weight behind the fact that a decision has been made, when the President has yet to make a decision," he told reporters in Washington.

"I've seen the report. It's not true, either generally or specifically. The president has not made a decision.

[Darksheare]

“The US is expected to...” the expectation.
The reality: “Obama announces he is sending 45 troops, and withdrawing 4500..”

[jwalsh07]

I’d be pleasantly surprised if he actually did that but I think he’ll cut the baby in two and accomplish naught.

[MinorityRepublican]

That’s good. We can easily do that since we recruited 168,000 civilians to join the United States Army in the past year.

[Principled]

That would be the right choice.

That’s why this is likely to be hogwash. I hope I’m wrong.

[newfreep]

So glad the BOZO waited until after the Nobel prize was announced - almost like he knew what was coming....

[Rebelbase]

The most recent strategy is to withdraw from the provinces and hold the cities. Has the strategy changed again or do we need 45,000 more troops to hold the cities?

[londonfog]

very bad news. Come home. deploy on our southern border.

[pissant]

Well, that makes two decisions from Obama I now agree with, out of about 200.

If true, that is.

[americanophile]

...looks like Stanley McChrystal will be the last to know.

[ohioWfan]

Color me skeptical.

It would be the first honorable thing Obama has ever done. I am in doubt that it will happen - but will pray that it will so we can WIN.

[Typical_Whitey]

For all you naysayers Michelle has a mesage for you....

“Barack Obama will require you to work. He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism. That you put down your divisions. That you come out of your isolation, that you move out of your comfort zones. That you push yourselves to be better. And that you engage. Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed”

Michelle Obama
2/20/08

[Don Corleone]

United States To Send 'Up To 45,000 More Troops To Afghanistan'

Barak Hussein Obama...mmm...mmm...mmm.

[fanfan]

A few weeks ago, I pinged a thread about the rumour that the US was leaving Afghanistan.

They are not. Thank you USA.

[whatisthetruth]

Honorable, that means we will have over 100,000 troops over there vulnerable to dying in a Vietnam quagmire type of war.

[pissant]

No chance.

[randomhero97]

He could send 500,000 and it won’t make a difference until the ROE are loosened.

[paulycy]

Maybe zer0 has had so much trouble with his domestic agenda that he doesn’t have the political capital left to have the Afghan war go bad on his watch (yet.)

[kezzek]

White House already denying

[ohioWfan]

Honorable ONLY if he allows the Commanders in the field o fight the war that needs to be fought.

(Should have clarified in my first post - it ain't gonna happen).

[AuntB]

They’re targets. Until this administration allows our military to actually FIGHT this war to win there are going to be a lot of dead kids.

[Nachum]

The list, ping

[mware]

...and again we get this information from a UK newspaper.

[altsehastiin]

Great news, if true.

By the way, Air Marshall Sir Jock Stirrup has a really, really unfortunate name.

[mware]

White House already denying

Shhh he hasn't got the Peace Prize yet.

[Debacled]

He receives a Nobel Peace Prize, yet sends more troops.

Pope John Paul II helps end communism and does his best for human rights, yet still did not receive the Prize. Amazing!

[Blood of Tyrants]

I won’t believe it until I see it.

[samtheman]

He waited for the nobel peace prize and the chicago olympics. Batting 50-50, not bad. And how many extra American soldiers died during this gambit? Oh, who cares? We don’t count them when Bush isn’t prez.

[SJackson]

Well, that makes two decisions from Obama I now agree with, out of about 200.

Me too. My first was his dog. What was yours?

[pissant]

His slapping tariffs on chinese tires.

[tobyhill]

Obama is a master at manipulating the real numbers.

[headstamp 2]

“The US is expected to announce a significant surge of up to 45,000 extra troops for Afghanistan after Gordon Brown said that 500 more British troops would be sent to the country. “

What’s wrong with this picture?

[Eleutheria5]

And these troops will be supplied with food & ordnance while in country how?

[SJackson]

OK, wasn’t thinking about that. Tires, dog, not bad for the first 9 months.

[Eleutheria5]

He ENDED communism, and you expect him to get a no-bell piece prize?!

[Eleutheria5]

Next you’ll expect them to honor Reagan!

[SideoutFred]

Gordon Brown is committing 500....wow, way to go UK. </sarcasm>

[pissant]

And his choice of Sam Adams beer for the Cop/Prof Gates pow-wow wasn’t bad either.

[Labyrinthos]

The US is expected to announce a significant surge of up to 45,000 extra troops for Afghanistan after Gordon Brown said that 500 more British troops would be sent to the country.

And there lies the problem.

[Varsity Flight]

LBJ years revisited.

[italianquaker]

odumbo will not support these troops and his restrictions have already hurt some

[pissant]

He just needs to send them. The military will take care of the rest.

[italianquaker]

I hope your right

[FreeReign]

He could send 500,000 and it won’t make a difference until the ROE are loosened.

Yes, and no.

Yes, ROE should be loosened.

No, a surge in Afghanistan will make a difference. The ROE was just as tight in Iraq and we won there with a surge.

[randomhero97]

I hope you’re right.

[pissant]

Me too. All I know is I have alot of faith in our warriors.

[Reverend Wright]

pauly wrote: “Maybe zer0 has had so much trouble with his domestic agenda that he doesn’t have the political capital left to have the Afghan war go bad on his watch (yet.)”

I agree with this. Hussein needs to be locked into a nothing-but-victory strategy before the economy kicks into high gear.

[SJackson]

OK, I’ll give you that. I’m thinking, and will get back to you on number 4.

[Chode]

would these be the troops he blamed on Bush???

[Tzimisce]

So after winning the Nobel Peace Prize for pushing liberal peace causes in a time of crisis, OBAMA’S GOING TO EXPAND THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN?

LOL! LOL! LOL! LOL!