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| Afghanistan |
| New US troops to arrive in Afghanistan in 2-3 weeks |
| 2009-12-03 |
| [Dawn] The first deployments of a 30,000-strong 'surge' announced by President Barack Obama will start arriving in Afghanistan in two to three weeks, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Wednesday as a leading senator questioned President Barack Obama's plan for a speedy but limited surge to turn the tide against the Taliban. 'The essence of our civil-military plan is to clear, hold, build, and transfer,' Gates said. However, Gates said that the transition to Afghanistan taking the lead on its security scheduled for July 2011 was not based on conditions on the ground, adding that the US will review in December 2010 whether July 2011 drawdown in Afghanistan was possible. It was clear that many influential senators, including Obama's 2008 Republican rival for the presidency, John McCain, had serious doubts about the withdrawal timeline. 'I support the president's decision, and I think it deserves the support of all Americans, both Republicans and Democrats,' said McCain, ranking Republican on the Senate Arms Services Committee. 'What I don't support, and what concerns me greatly, is the president's decision to set an arbitrary date beginning the withdrawal ...(a) date for withdrawal sends exactly the wrong message to both our friends and our enemies,' he said. Rising combat deaths and military costs have sapped US public support for the eight-year-old war, and Obama's pledge to start bringing US troops home after 18 months could help blunt a rebellion among his fellow Democrats who oppose escalating the costly war. |
| Posted by:Fred |