U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman Gigstad, right, and Marine Corps Sgt. Hawkes, left, both conduct a patrol toward a known enemy firing point after receiving fire in Lakari Bazaar, Afghanistan, July 19, 2009. Gigstad and Hawkes are assigned to the 8th Marine Regiment.'s 2nd Battalion. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Gunnery Sgt. James A. BurksFrom Times Online:
The United States should send up to 45,000 extra troops to Afghanistan, a senior adviser to the American commander in Kabul has told The Times.
Anthony Cordesman, an influential American academic who is a member of a team that has been advising General Stanley McChrystal, now in charge of Nato forces in Afghanistan, also said that to deal with the threat from the Taleban the size of the Afghan National Army might have to increase to 240,000.
If Mr Cordesman’s recommendation reflects the view of General McChrystal, who recently presented the findings of a 60-day review of Afghanistan strategy to Washington, it would mean sending another nine combat brigades, comprising 45,000 American troops, in addition to the 21,000 already approved by President Obama. This would bring the total American military presence in Afghanistan to about 100,000, considerably closer to the force that was deployed for the counter-insurgency campaign in Iraq.
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My Comment: 45,000 soldiers .... I was expecting a figure of 75,000 soldiers. Either way, it explains why President Obama has aged 10 years in the past month .... he must already know what is coming down the chute.