Mullen Outlines Main Afghanistan Threat

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Mullen Outlines Main Afghanistan Threat
December 04, 2009
American Forces Press Service|by Gerry J. Gilmore

Many of the extra 30,000 U.S. forces deployed to Afghanistan in the coming months will confront continued enemy threats in the country's southern and eastern regions, the U.S. military's senior officer told Capitol Hill legislators here.

The principal threat to U.S., coalition and Afghan security forces "will continue to remain in the south and in the east" near the border with Pakistan, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, will look to NATO forces to handle the bulk of operations in the north and west, Mullen said. McChrystal's main effort is in the south "That really is where he will focus most of his troops, supported by his efforts in the east," he told the senators.

McChrystal will use the 30,000 additional troops to secure key population centers, Mullen said, while taking steps to reduce civilian casualties during anti-insurgent operations and leveraging partnerships with and increasing training of Afghan security forces.

The Afghan military is slated to increase from 134,000 troops in December 2010 to 170,000 by July 2011.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/army-news/mullen-outlines-main-afghanistan-threat.html?col=1186032369115