The Afghanistan Surge (3,000 additional troops)

[sabra]

Source: ABC News

Defense officials aren't calling it a surge, but it sure looks like one. The Pentagon is poised to send more than 3,000 additional troops to Afghanistan -- all of them Marines, ABC News has learned.

The plan is a sign that things are not going well in Afghanistan. Commanders say they simply do not have enough troops to deal with the increased threat.

"We are outmanned, across the board," one senior official told ABC News.

There are currently 26,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, the largest number since the start of the war.

...

Defense officials tell ABC News that General McNeill has said he needs a total of 7,500 additional troops in Afghanistan. But with the military stretched thin in Iraq, this is all he can expect to get for now, they said.

Read more: http://blogs.abcnews.com/rapidreport/2008/01/the-afghanistan.html

[elocs]

1. I got the good news that my 19 year old nephew in the Army is not going to Iraq.

He is though going to Afghanistan, which is like out of the pot and into the fire.

[rodeodance]

3. I have one about that age--but he is Army--. Keep them safe

[TwilightGardener]

2. Ridiculous, that we are stretched so thin we don't have enough

ground troops to get the job done there.

[acmavm]

4. Hells bells. And they want to take on Iran?

[tekisui]

5. Last I'd heard Gates was pushing NATO to commit more troops in Afghanistan.

He was doing it to relieve some stress on our troops. What happened?

Did NATO decline, or would there have been a greater increase of US troops had he not talked to NATO?

Does anyone know if Non-US NATO troops are increasing, too?

[seafan]

6. Thousands more U.S. troops poised to go to Afghanistan

Source: CNN International

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Pentagon may send 3,000 Marines to Afghanistan in the coming weeks to reinforce the country's British-led sector ahead of an expected spring offensive by the Taliban and al Qaeda.

.....

"The request is based upon an anticipated spring offensive by the Taliban. They failed last time, and they will fail again this time, but commanders are seeking additional forces to ensure that," Morrell told CNN, signaling that the request is expected to be approved.

The Marines would be sent on a seven-month tour. It's considered a "major commitment" of forces, according to a Pentagon official. There are about 26,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, and the 3,000 additional forces would boost U.S. troop levels there to their highest point since the 2001 invasion.

.....

It's not known yet where the Marines will come from.

Under the proposal, the bulk of the Marines would go to southern Afghanistan, where British and Canadian forces have been in heavy combat for months.

Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/01/09/marines.afghanistan/

[Purveyor]

7. The Command in Afghanistan wanted 7500 troops but the best the Pentagon could do is 3,000

"military stretched to thin"...

Paraphrasing another article I read in the matter.