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August 24, 2009

Generals: More US Troops Needed in Afghanistan
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In Afghanistan, US military commanders have reportedly told the White
House they don’t have enough troops for their fight against the Taliban.
The New York Times reports the assessment was relayed to Obama
administration envoy Richard Holbrooke this weekend. On Sunday, the
chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, said violence
is worsening in Afghanistan.

Adm. Mike Mullen: “It’s the mission that the military has right now to
focus—and General Mc Chrystal is doing this—focus on the security for
the people, focus on the Afghan people. And that’s a significant change
from where we were just a few months ago. And it is in that focus that
both understands what they feel about their security, which is pretty
bad right now and getting worse, and moving to a direction—moving in a
direction that provides security, so then we can develop governance, so
then we can develop an economy, and they can take over their own
destiny.”

President Obama has already escalated the Afghan war with around 17,000
troops. The new US commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley Mc
Chrystal, could still request additional forces. A poll last week showed
a majority of Americans now see the Afghan war as not worth fighting.



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