Moderators John317 Posted March 26, 2009 Moderators Share Posted March 26, 2009 Sources: Obama to add US troops in Afghanistan By ANNE GEARAN and PAMELA HESS, Associated Press Writers – 15 mins ago WASHINGTON – Concerned about the faltering war in Afghanistan, President Barack Obama plans to dispatch thousands more military and civilian trainers on top of the 17,000 fresh combat troops he's already ordered, people familiar with the forthcoming plan said Thursday. Obama also will call for increasing aid to neighboring Pakistan as long as its leaders confront militants in the border region. The president plans to lay out his revamped strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan on Friday. Several sources told The Associated Press the strategy includes 20 recommendations for countering a persistent insurgency that spans the two countries' border, including sending 4,000 military trainers to try to increase the size of the Afghan army. "It is an integrated military-civilian strategy," Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told reporters in Monterrey, Mexico. "We are convinced that the most critical underpinning of any success we hope to achieve, along with the people and government of Afghanistan, will be looking at where civilian trainers, aid workers, technical assistance of all kinds can be best utilized." Clinton declined to go into details to avoid pre-empting Obama's announcement. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs also would not discuss specifics of the plan, but said Obama is beginning to discuss its findings with members of Congress and others. Obama's top military advisers briefed key lawmakers Thursday. In broad terms, Obama will define U.S. objectives as eliminating the threat from al-Qaida to undermine or topple U.S.-backed elected governments or to launch attacks on the United States, its interests and allies, the sources said. They described the recommendations on condition of anonymity because the final wording was not complete. The new plan identified al-Qaida as the target in a larger network of insurgents who threaten U.S. and allied forces in Afghanistan, often from sanctuaries across the border in Pakistan. The written outline of Obama's plan describes a "strategy for success," as opposed to an exit strategy, but the goal is the same: Stability on both sides of the border that would allow a reduction and eventual withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from Afghanistan. To do that, Obama proposes a greatly expanded commitment to improving and enlarging the Afghan army and Pakistan's frontier forces. The additional 4,000 troops devoted to training and advising the Afghan armed forces would head to Afghanistan this spring and summer. They come on top of about 17,000 combat and support troops Obama wants in place by the end of the summer. Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the training group is needed because there aren't enough U.S. military advisers there now. "We've got to increase the size" of the Afghan army more quickly than contemplated, said Levin, D-Mich. "The trainers are the key to that." Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said it seemed like a viable strategy as long as the manpower is there. "I know we need more than the 17,000," he said. As a candidate, Obama said the Afghan war should have been the U.S. priority all along, and that the Bush administration wrongly diverted U.S. attention and resources to the war in Iraq. As president, Obama has been under pressure to say how he plans to address the sharp increase in violence in Afghanistan while prodding anti-terrorism ally Pakistan to deal with the militant threat on its soil. "I'm comfortable that key policy makers on all levels are not minimizing the difficulties and are not missing anything," said Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash. "What I'm less confident about is that there is a solution to this problem." He added that Congress cannot shrink from a long-term commitment, including providing money. 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 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Interesting .... 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...
carolaa Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Yeah, does anyone know exactly what we're doing over there? It's starting to sound like a previous administration I wasn't so keen on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Yeah, does anyone know exactly what we're doing over there? It's starting to sound like a previous administration I wasn't so keen on. I am not saying a word. Not one word. 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...
carolaa Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 You mean that's all we have to do to keep you quiet, Redwood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted March 27, 2009 Members Share Posted March 27, 2009 We've been there for a little while now, before we went into Iraq. At first we helped the rebels with weapons to fight the russians. Than they asked us to help them, so the USA sent troops. Now that we've chased the taliban and al quada and whoever else out of Iraq afganistan is getting renewed fighting going on. pk Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolaa Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Are you saying that Afghanistan has asked us to come in and help them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolaa Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 You mean that's all we have to do to keep you quiet, Redwood? I hope you know I'm just joking with you, Redwood. pals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 I think there is a contageous disease goin' around. First it was Redwood that was talking to himself. Now it is Carolaa. 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...
Members phkrause Posted March 27, 2009 Members Share Posted March 27, 2009 I believe that this is true. When the russians invaded, we started helping them with money and weapons. And I believe they than asked us to help. I believe we helped there President Karsai. Hey carolaa I could be wrong! But not often. pk Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Well ... let's hope we only have four more years of this. I can't wait to see Sarah take the reins. 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...
carolaa Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 I think Sarah's reputation is similar to Dan Quayle's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolaa Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 I'm not sure she can recover from it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolaa Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Yeah, does anyone know exactly what we're doing over there? It's starting to sound like a previous administration I wasn't so keen on. I'm talking to myself again. I guess I should have waited till today and I would have had the answer to my question. According to the news, Obama's goal in Afghanistan is to dismantle and destroy AlQuaeda. Well, at least that's the goal this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted March 27, 2009 Members Share Posted March 27, 2009 I'm not sure I'd put them in the same sentence. I have never cared for Quayle, I don't think he could even shine Sarah's shoes. pk Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolaa Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 They have both been portrayed as doofuses so long that it is hard to take them seriously. I'm not saying perception is necessarily reality, but I do think that is the perception. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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