Obama puts brake on Afghan surge [View All]

[IndianaGreen]

Source: The Times

From The Sunday Times

February 8, 2009

Obama puts brake on Afghan surge

Sarah Baxter and Michael Smith

PRESIDENT Barack Obama has demanded that American defence chiefs review their strategy in Afghanistan before going ahead with a troop surge.

There is concern among senior Democrats that the military is preparing to send up to 30,000 extra troops without a coherent plan or exit strategy.

The Pentagon was set to announce the deployment of 17,000 extra soldiers and marines last week but Robert Gates, the defence secretary, postponed the decision after questions from Obama.

The president was concerned by a lack of strategy at his first meeting with Gates and the US joint chiefs of staff last month in “the tank”, the secure conference room in the Pentagon. He asked: “What’s the endgame?” and did not receive a convincing answer.


Read more: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article5683681.ece