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Afghanistan | |
U.S. general: More troops may be needed in Afghanistan | |
2015-12-31 | |
The top U.S. and NATO military commander in Afghanistan may seek additional American troops to help local forces as they struggle to contain the Taliban insurgency, USA Today reported on Tuesday. How about using the 82nd Airborne in an operation to clean out Kandahar all the way to Quetta? Or were they thinking of nickel-and-diming operations, which has been the Obama hallmark? General John Campbell’s interview with the newspaper comes as the security situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated in the second half of 2015, with an increase in insurgent attacks and higher casualties among both Taliban and national forces. Already, President Barack Obama has backtracked on a pledge to pull out all but 1,000 troops, and in October he announced that 9,800 U.S. forces would remain in Afghanistan until the end of 2016.
“If I don’t believe that we can accomplish the train, advice and assist and the (counter-terrorism) missions, then I owe it to the senior leadership to come back and say, ‘Here’s what I need.’ If that’s more people, it’s more people,” Campbell told the newspaper. The 9,800 U.S. troops are scheduled to be drawn down to 5,500 by January 1, 2017. “My intent would be to keep as much as I could, for as long as I could,” Campbell said. This month marks a year since the U.S. and NATO-led mission in Afghanistan transitioned into an Afghan operation, with allied nations assisting in training and equipping local forces to tackle Taliban and other groups. The Taliban have already dealt some stinging blows to Afghan forces, including a short-lived takeover of the northern city of Kunduz. | |
Posted by:Steve White |
#5 Arclight! Drink up! |
Posted by: Frank G 2015-12-31 10:32 |
#4 Of course more troops, its an election year. That's more supply and logistics support to the incumbents. Why not more overflights and bigger bombs? Now that's manufacturing and more jobs! |
Posted by: Skidmark 2015-12-31 10:00 |
#3 Just how do you suggest supplying them? Through Russia (see Ukraine) or Pakistan (see Pak Intel protectors of OBL)? |
Posted by: Procopius2k 2015-12-31 08:08 |
#2 Americans are strange---if you forbid them to win, they became unenthusiastic. |
Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2015-12-31 05:03 |
#1 Tell everyone to dress warmly General. You can easily catch a severe cold at that windy and damp Fort Myer retirement parade ground ceremony. |
Posted by: Besoeker 2015-12-31 00:47 |