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General Stanley McChrystal opts for 40,000 more troops in Afghanistan
The Australian - September 29, 2009
Brad Norington, Washington – The top US military commander in Afghanistan is believed to be seeking up to 40,000 additional troops, among a range of options he proposes, to regain the advantage and eventually win the war against the Taliban.
The request from General Stanley McChrystal is at the higher end of estimates first raised last month.
General McChrystal's troop request follows last week's leaked release – from an assessment of the Afghan conflict ordered by US President Barack Obama – of the commander's view that the war will "likely result in failure" unless more troops are sent within a year.
The New York Times reported overnight that the request for 40,000 extra troops was among a range of options General McChrystal was offering Mr Obama.
Others included lower increases and a more efficient use of troops already on the ground by removing them from sparsely populated areas and basing them in cities.
An Obama administration official was quoted as saying General McChrystal's request involved different troop numbers according to different goals.
The top figure of 40,000 was intended to match the objective of winning the war by securing cities, clearing the countryside of Taliban fighters and rebuilding the nation.
A less ambitious objective that could see the war drag on many years would rely on unmanned drone aircraft to strike at insurgents in the hills while military forces concentrated on protecting cities.
Mr Obama has already committed an additional 21,000 US troops to Afghanistan this year, a decision taken shortly after he assumed office in January.
That increase will bring the total number of US soldiers in Afghanistan to 68,000 by the end of the year, and the total number of coalition troops, including Australia's contribution of 1550, to 110,000.
A CBS/New York Times opinion poll released yesterday found that fewer than one-third of Americans believed the number of US troops in Afghanistan should be increased.
Mr Obama has faced weeks of pressure from the US military to increase troop numbers. Leaks from well-placed sources have told of a seriously deteriorating situation in Afghanistan.
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates was cagey about numbers, but said he expected a decision from Mr Obama in a matter of weeks. Even then, he said, approval of more forces would not see troops arrive until January.
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