As Afghanistan Heats Up, U.S. Runs Out of Troops

by: Brandon Friedman

Wed Sep 24, 2008 at 10:46:37 AM EDT


Yesterday, Richard posted a piece from the AP that reported Defense Secretary Robert Gates is willing to send three more brigades to Afghanistan next year.  But Reuters couched the same story in some different terms:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will not have enough forces available to meet a request for more troops from NATO's top commander in Afghanistan until next spring at the earliest, the U.S. defense chief said on Tuesday.

"Without changing deployment patterns, without changing length of tours, we do not have the forces to send three additional brigade combat teams to Afghanistan at this point," Defense Secretary Robert Gates told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"My view is that those forces will become available probably during the spring and summer of 2009," he said.

So yeah, Gates wants more troops in Afghanistan.  Like pretty much everyone else who knows what's going on over there.  But I'm thinking that maybe instead of telling the Senate Armed Services Committee, Gates should tell his boss.
Brandon Friedman :: As Afghanistan Heats Up, U.S. Runs Out of Troops
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As Afghanistan Heats Up, U.S. Runs Out of Troops | 7 comments
It gets worse (4.00 / 1)
Apparently the  Afghanistan situation  is so bad that the Bush Administration is refusing to declassify the lastest Afghanistan NIE until well after the election and even then they may not release it.

'Grim' Afghanistan Report To Be Kept Secret by US

US intelligence analysts are putting the final touches on a secret National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Afghanistan that reportedly describes the situation as "grim", but there are "no plans to declassify" any of it before the election, according to one US official familiar with the process.

The article goes further and mentions the lack of available troops that Brandon is talking about:

Seth Jones, an expert on Afghanistan at the Rand Corporation think tank, called the situation in Afghanistan "dire."

"We are now at a tipping point, with about half of the country now penetrated by a range of Sunni militant groups including the Taliban and al Queida," Jones said. Jones said there is growing concern that Dutch and Canadian forces in Afghanistan would "call it quits."

"The US military would then need six, eight, maybe ten brigades but we just don't have that many," Jones said.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/...

"Armed forces abroad are of little value unless there is prudent counsel at home."

Marcus Tullius Cicero 106 BC-43 BC

I Just (4.00 / 1)
caught that report myself and was bringing it over, it isn't a surprise to me and I'll bet many others!

'Hearts and Minds, "The ultimate victory will depend on the hearts and minds of the people who actually live there." -- President Lyndon Johnson
[ Parent ]
Silence. (4.00 / 1)

Why do we never hear about casualties any more on the news?
Funny you should ask. (4.00 / 2)
Check out the piece I've posted above this one.
[ Parent ]
Dude, haven't you been paying attention? (4.00 / 2)
A bunch of rich CEO's in in trouble for pete's sake!  We HAVE to spend twice the cost of OIF to bail them out!  What war?

"No U.S. soldier ever dies in vain because they're carrying out the missions of their commander in chief. And we honor all the service that they've provided." - Barack Obama
[ Parent ]
I Gave Up (4.00 / 1)
Wondering about that, along with any Real Thoughts on the political boards, either side of the isle, on the Real Importance both theaters, and what happens, means to the Country!

The majority don't serve nor sacrifice so the Cult Mentality takes hold and nothing shakes it, than when something happens they collectively wonder "Why do they hate us so much?"!!!!!!!

Watch the PBS News Hour, not as often as it was, at the end of the hour!

'Hearts and Minds, "The ultimate victory will depend on the hearts and minds of the people who actually live there." -- President Lyndon Johnson

[ Parent ]
Yesterday, I went to see Adm. Mullen speak. (4.00 / 1)
He mentioned that troops are being sent to Afghanistan but also mentioned that the amount of troops being sent is only half of what commanders on the ground are asking for. Even Mullen acknowledges that we've run out of troops.
As Afghanistan Heats Up, U.S. Runs Out of Troops | 7 comments
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