Moderators John317 Posted March 19, 2009 Moderators Share Posted March 19, 2009 US mulls sending more civilians to Afghanistan Thu Mar 19, 4:02 pm ET WASHINGTON (AFP) – President Barack Obama's administration is studying plans to send more civilians to Afghanistan to complement a surge of US armed forces there, a senior US official said Thursday. The State Department hopes to dispatch 51 civilians to Afghanistan while other government agencies also plan to send people there to boost its political and economic development, department spokesman Robert Wood said. "No final decision has been made on numbers, but this is what we're ... considering doing," Wood told reporters. The Washington Post reported that under the soon-to-be-complete review on Afghan policy hundreds of civilians will be sent to the central Asian country, and that Obama will announce the move next week. "As President Obama has said, we need to ramp up our engagement in Afghanistan. And one of the things that we're looking at, at this moment, is trying to increase the number of civilians," Wood said. Obama has ordered 17,000 extra US troops to Afghanistan and a top-to-bottom review of his war policy, shifting the focus from Iraq to Afghanistan and Pakistan in the fight against Islamic militants. There are nearly 70,000 foreign troops under NATO and US command in Afghanistan fighting a Taliban insurgency alongside Afghan forces. On the civilian front, the State Department said it will send both career foreign service officers for a year-long tour of duty and recruit temporary employees to serve in one-year, non-career positions. The civilians will work in Kabul or in provincial reconstruction teams outside the capital where troops provide cover as the experts build basic health, educational and other services and train officials in good governance. "There will be an increase in personnel from around the US government who will be deployed to the country," Wood said, referring to the review under consideration. Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090319/pl_afp/afghanistanunrestusdiplomacy_20090319200358 Quote John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Yeah ... LIke we can afford it? What is he going to think of next. I suppose this is part of his stimulous plan for the economy. Quote May we be one so that the world may be won. Christian from the cradle to the grave I believe in Hematology. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.