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Afghan Generals Want, But Won't Get, More Troops

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Jul 1, 2009 9:18 AM CDT

(Newser) – President Obama has sent 21,000 additional troops to Afghanistan so far, and he’s not sending more anytime soon, writes Bob Woodward, who accompanied national security adviser James Jones as he visited commanders last week, delivering the unwelcome news. They repeatedly told him their troops are spread too thin, but Jones said Obama wouldn’t approve every request, the way President Bush did in Iraq. “We are not going to build that empire again,” he said.

“We don’t need more US forces,”  the US commander in Helmand province told Jones in return. “We need more Afghan forces.” So far not one Afghan National Army member has been assigned to help in the volatile province since his unit got there 6 months ago. Jones heard the complaint repeatedly, and promised to press the Afghan government on the subject. He added that military victories might be less important than economic progress. “If that is not done right, there are not enough troops in the world to succeed.”

US marines battle Taliban fighters inside a mud walled compound near Now Zad in Afghanistan's Helmand province, June 20, 2009.
US marines battle Taliban fighters inside a mud walled compound near Now Zad in Afghanistan's Helmand province, June 20, 2009.   (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
National Security Adviser James Jones delivers remarks on national security to the Atlantic Council in Washington, Wednesday, May 27, 2009.
National Security Adviser James Jones delivers remarks on national security to the Atlantic Council in Washington, Wednesday, May 27, 2009.   (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
US Marines step through a hole they blew in a mud wall during a battle against Taliban fighters near Now Zad in Afghanistan's Helmand province, June 20, 2009.
US Marines step through a hole they blew in a mud wall during a battle against Taliban fighters near Now Zad in Afghanistan's Helmand province, June 20, 2009.   (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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COMMENTS
Showing 2 of 2 comments
justme
Jul 1, 2009 7:40 AM CDT
The idea of sending in too few troops following a flawed idea of political change is not novel. Bush did it early in Iraq and now it seems that Obama is getting political on his generals. Remember the other times we lost military battles based on political decisions. (try Viet Nam among others)
Fondue
Jul 1, 2009 3:05 AM CDT
When will we learn?

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