Gates, Mullen Say Plans To Add Up To 73,000 More Afghan Forces Is Under Review, Cost Is Key

[Purveyor]

Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON - The Obama administration is debating proposals that would increase Afghan security forces by up to 73,000, as officials wonder how much Afghanistan can absorb and what the U.S. can afford.

Defence Secretary Robert Gates told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday that the U.S. will spend $12.8 billion in 2012 to train and equip the Afghan forces.

"So the question is, how long can we afford to do that? And you cannot do that indefinitely," Gates said.

Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the exact range under consideration is between 352,000 and 378,000, disclosing for the first time the figures under discussion.

U.S. commanders have said it is critical to increase the size of the Afghan forces beyond the goal of 305,000 by the end of this year.

Read more: http://www.brandonsun.com/world/breaking-news/gates-mullen-say-plans-to-add-up-to-73000-more-afghan-forces-is-under-review-cost-is-key-116426164.html?thx=y

[Newsjock]

1. All we have to do is fire another 146,000 teachers

Surely that is a small price to pay to keep America ... um ... something.

:sarcasm:

[roguevalley]

9. amazing. how truly is Obama different from Bush and Reagan?

I guess old people freezing, young people missing college and kids going hungry and homeless isn't just for Iraqis and Afghanis anymore.

[montanacowboy]

2. O M G

"how long can we afford to do that?" as long as you keep kicking the working americans in the balls and taking every fucking cent out of their pockets, break the unions, institute child labor, and do away with any minimum wage, say pay them $1.00 hr. Then you might be able to carry on indefinitely.

I have no words.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

3. This is idiotic. Couldn't they just ask for their muslim supposed allies to

form an international force and get US troops the fuck out of there?

[Solly Mack]

4. K&R

[indepat]

5. Incomprehensible and inconsolable

:patriot:

[silenttigersong]

6. Vietghanistan

Lets start to name collateral damage as child sacrifice,really that is what it is. The war department sanitizes the war.

[silenttigersong]

14. The department of

child sacrifice formally known as the department of war is asking you all good Americans to give up the hopes of your children s education.:dunce:

[Fuddnik]

7. Good Morning Vietnam!!!!!!!

[plumbob]

8. Good thing the war's over, over there.

Otherwise, there could be trouble.

[FiveGoodMen]

10. Betrayal

[JDPriestly]

11. One word: stupid plan. This will backfire.

We are to arm Afghanis to the teeth and just watch while they kill each other?

Wow! What a diabolical thought.

What is to prevent Afghanis from just taking over the region? They have a reputation for being the fiercest fighters in the world.

I cannot believe how dumb our "leadership" is.

[Earth_First]

12. Let's put it to a public vote...

We'll vote state by state.

We'll start in Wisconsin.

[fascisthunter]

13. COST???!!!! Money or life? What Cost?????

idiot amoral losers

[gratuitous]

15. Silly billies!

Wars don't "cost" anything. They pay for themselves. Why are these cut-and-runners, these nervous nellies worrying about costs? Has Jean Schmidt been notified?

[No Elephants]

16. John McCain?

[Octafish]

17. Why are we in Afghanistan, anyway?

Does anyone know the answer?