President Biden just ordered 5000 troops to Afghanistan.

[MoonRiver]

Is this IN ADDITION to the 3000, or 2000 more?

[maxrandb]

1. No he didn't, and no it's not in "addition" to the 3,000

These numbers are an approximation.

I don't want to insult folks, but as a 30 year military guy who had a hand in preparing and submitting Requests for Forces, please let me provide some of what I know from experience.

- Presidents don't just say "give me 5000 troops over here".

- As the plan to withdraw forces from Afghanistan was being developed, and it's been developed over months, or years. Whenever an OP is planned, there are a ton of contingencies.
Call them "if what, then"

* If the threat to withdrawing troops accelerates, then do this.

* If there is an attack on logistic lines, then do this

* If weather, or natural disaster impacts ops, then do this

- There were probably hundreds of contingencies developed. These 3500-5000 troops would have already been identified and ready to go in a moments notice.

We would love for these to go exactly as planned, but they rarely do. That's why we settle for things going exactly as we prepared them to go.

So, no, these troops would have already been identified and prepared to respond to as needed. The president is doing what he is supposed to do. Responding to the events as they unfold

[moondust]

2. Two days ago it was 3000.

US sending 3K troops for partial Afghan embassy evacuation

On July 8 the President was asked:

Q Is a Taliban takeover of Afghanistan now inevitable?

THE PRESIDENT: No, it is not.

Q Why?

THE PRESIDENT: Because you — the Afghan troops have 300,000 well-equipped — as well-equipped as any army in the world — and an air force against something like 75,000 Taliban. It is not inevitable.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/07/08/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-drawdown-of-u-s-forces-in-afghanistan/

I have to wonder if the intelligence he got was based solely on number of troops and equipment without factoring in Afghan troop motivation.

[chia]

5. Thank you, that helps

[ansible]

3. Too little, too late

Kabul airport is already being targeted

[doc03]

4. How many did he pull out?