BBC Claims Obama To Send 45,000 Extra Troops To Afghanistan

[Purveyor]

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs on Wednesday denied a BBC news report that President Barack Obama has already decided to send 45,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, on top of the 68,000 already serving there.

"It's not true," Gibbs said, insisting "the president has not made a decision."

According to news reports, Obama huddled with his war council Wednesday for the fifth time, debating whether to send thousands more troops to Afghanistan as he maps a new strategy to quell the conflict.

Obama has said he hopes to unveil his plans in the coming weeks as he desperately seeks to contain the violence in Afghanistan fueled by the resurgent Taliban ousted from power eight years ago and al Qaeda militants.

But a report on BBC's Newsnight in the UK that aired Wednesday said the Obama administration has already made the decision to send 45,000 more troops to Afghanistan, which would amount to 5,000 more than Gen. Stanley McChrystal, commander of forces in Afghanistan, has reportedly asked for.

MORE...

http://rawstory.com/2009/10/bbc-45000-troops-afghanistan/

[JuniperLea]

1. How many are replacement troops?

How many are for infrastructure, intelligence, etc., which will be needed in a draw-down?

We can't just pull everyone out, as much as I'd love that to be so.

I want to hear an exit strategy... and I'm hoping these new troops are in preparation for this.

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. That would be wildly optimistic, if this report is true.

[JuniperLea]

3. Bullshit

Have you been listening to the generals at all? Have you been listening to Obama at all?

[The_Casual_Observer]

4. Obama has said nothing, the general in charge clamed he needed

40,000 more open ended, no promises for results. You hear something I didn't?

[IndianaGreen]

6. BBC's source is probably in Gordon Brown's government

Brown just announced an increase in troops in Afghanistan, despite public opposition to the war. Brown would not have acted unless he knew Obama was going to escalate the war.

[Kdillard]

5. Ridiculous. Obama himself said he will be making a decision in the

upcoming weeks and by his actions will not be forced into anything sooner. Gibbs has denied it and just today there was a meeting held to figure out the best course of action. Given all of that I believe I will wait until I hear something from the President himself or someone else on the record in the Administration rather than the BBC.

[Oregone]

7. Thats politician talk though

Deals can already be worked out though with international countries to provide trade incentives in exchange for support, etc, and this would be something in the works for some time.


I guess in the "upcoming weeks" if an arbitrary surge is close to this number, itll be a good indication about how the president really operates. Yes, in the mean time, skepticism is healthy

[KoKo]

8. I read here on DU it was a Stealth 13,000 troops. I don't know what to believe but I do know that

Presidents always LIE ABOUT WAR. Johnson, Nixon, and the rest.

So...whatever it is ..sounds like Obama is doing "THE BUSH SURGE" under the RADAR! Until I get confirmation that this isn't what Obama is doing from his SOURCES...VERIFIED...I've gotta' believe he's following what all our failed Presidents have done. He's committed more troops to a LOSING BATTLE.

Good luck to him. It makes me tired to see Dems Caving in to Repugs like this over and over and over.

Whatever it is...the leaks seem to say...he's doing "Stealth Increase in Troop Levels." (Probably one of the "New Dem/Neo-Con Light" Think Tanks told him the American People will accept this...and things will be good. :banghead:

[earth mom]

9. Guess Obama better give that peace prize back then. nt