AF prepared to carry out any Afghan planBy Erik Holmes - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Nov 29, 2009 17:43:29 EST
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. — Air Forces Central Command isn’t waiting for the commander in chief’s decision on Afghanistan to plot its future role there.
It’s in the throes of planning right now, two of the command’s officers told Air Force Times in an interview.
AFCent officials are figuring out what assets they will need to support whatever strategy President Barack Obama settles on for the eight-year war against al-Qaida and Taliban-led insurgents, according to Col. Ken Craib, deputy director of operations, and Lt. Col. John Edwards, deputy chief of plans and requirements.
Obama will announce his decision Tuesday on plans for deploying as many as 40,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, the number requested by Gen. Stanley McChrystal, commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan. There has been disagreement within the White House on how many troops to send, with some senior officials favoring a much lower number.
“Just as you’ve heard all sorts of numbers, obviously we’ve heard all sorts of numbers,” Craib said. “We are posturing ourselves, based on the decision, to have the right assets in the right places.”
Rest of article at:
http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2009/11/airforce_afcent_afghanistan_112909w/