Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2009
| Subscribe to Newser's RSS feeds RSS | Follow Newser on Twitter Twitter


19

Sources: Obama Will Send 40-45K More to Afghanistan

White House denies a decision has made, but UK's move would make more sense

Share

(Newser) – President Obama will announce a troop surge in Afghanistan next week, sources tell the BBC, with Afghanistan’s ambassador to the US saying Obama will commit as many as 45,000. The White House says there’s been no decision, with spokesman Robert Gibbs sniffing that the BBC wouldn’t be the first to get such news anyway.

Britain announced today it was sending 500 more troops, a move it wouldn’t likely have made without assurances that more US help was in the works. “All indications are that President Obama is honoring the request by Gen. McChrystal,” Ambassador Said Jawad said today; asked if that meant 40-45,000 troops, he replied, “This is part of the request, yes.”

President Barack Obama and his national security team listen to an onscreen presentation on Afghanistan today.
President Barack Obama and his national security team listen to an onscreen presentation on Afghanistan today.   (The White House)
Gen. Stanley McChrystal has asked for as many as 45,000 more US troops in Afghanistan, and the country's ambassador to the US says he'll get them.
Gen. Stanley McChrystal has asked for as many as 45,000 more US troops in Afghanistan, and the country's ambassador to the US says he'll get them.   (AP Photo)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

The president has not made a decision, and when he does, I think you can assume that the BBC will not be the first outlet for such a decision. - White House press secretary Robert Gibbs

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
OFF THE GRID
11.24.09
Murdoch and Microsoft: The Mice Are Trying to Roar
11.23.09
Books Are Bad for You
19 comments
VIEWING:
 
godawgs
Oct 14, 09 9:05 PM CDT
If this is true, then why the hell is the 500 british troops anywhere equal to the 40-45000 we might be sending? that math doesn't make too much sense to me unless these are like 500 british rambos or something. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
0
IN RESPONSE:
guanlob
Oct 14, 09 9:08 PM CDT
"unless these are like 500 british rambos or something" ...They are.
Vote up! Vote down!
+4
IN RESPONSE:
DontLikeYou
Oct 14, 09 10:03 PM CDT
Ya know, I can't stand the thug from Chicago, but if he sends these troops, it is the right decision. I'll tell you why. WIthout a troop increase, we likely lose Afghanistan. And Barry is smart enough to know that his presidency will not survive the coming failure of socialized medicine, the bailout of the wealthy bankers, the collapse of the dollar (2010) and a loss in Afghanistan. Barry is having to fight for his presidency with less than 1 year under his belt. The Obama presidency is in deep trouble.
Vote up! Vote down!
-7
IN RESPONSE:
Deebles
Oct 14, 09 10:32 PM CDT
Aha! The British SAS--Dare to Win. They are some rather wicked mother fuckers. Actually, we don't have anything comparable. We're too nice. Remember that book--Lone Survivor? That was a Seal Team in Afghanistan that got dropped on a mountain top. They ran into two goat herders. The SAS would have just killed them. The Seals let them walk away and inform the village that they were there and then they got overrun and they all died, including everyone on the Black Hawk who tried to save them.. All ,but that one guy. Either you are in a war or you're not. Either do it or don't. The British will do it. I'm a half-ass liberal who has a total problem with the way we go to war. I spent eight grade with the highest grade point average--100%-- alone at the banquet, because my mother was so worried about my dad during the Tet Offensive. I'm sick of all of it. We funded through Pakistan all the money and weapons that wiped out the Soviets--nice payback cause they did that to us in Vietnam. Now, we got a huge problem with Pakistan. Since that is where the Taliban scurried to. Now, They have nuclear weapons. What are you gonna do? Personally? I prefer the British who know what war means.
Vote up! Vote down!
+1
IN RESPONSE:
Snowleopard
Oct 15, 09 6:27 AM CDT
Deebles: You're making the brits out to sound like a bunch of murderous thugs. Wasn't it them you coined the term "winning hearts and minds", whose strategy changed the tide in southern iraq? This war won't be won by whoever can kill the most indiscriminately. You kill some kid, his 3 brother's join the jihad against you.
Vote up! Vote down!
+1

View all 19 comments »

LEAVE A
COMMENT Comment Policy
Facebook ConnectPost this comment to Facebook?

After connecting you will have the option to post your comment on your Facebook profile.

 

Related Newser Stories

953 Stories

Obama: I'll 'Finish the Job'
in Afghanistan

President's troop decision expected this week

Nov 24, 09 2:55 PM CST
(Newser) - He didn't tip his hand on many troops it would take, but President Obama said today that he intends to "finish the job" in Afghanistan. He promised to unveil a strategy after Thanksgiving that will "dismantle and degrade” the enemy while making sure that "al Qaeda and... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Afghanistan • Afghanistan war • President Obama • Afghanistan exit strategy

 Report: Obama Will Send 
 34K Troops to Afghanistan 

Prez finalized decision last night, will address nation next week 

Nov 24, 09 7:57 AM CST
(Newser) - President Obama has made his choice on Afghan strategy after months of deliberations and will announce it next week, administration sources tell McClatchy . The president finalized his decision to send another 34,000 troops in meetings last night, and plans to address the nation on the choice next Tuesday, prior... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Afghanistan • US military • Afghanistan war • President Obama • Afghanistan exit strategy • Stanley McChrystal

NO DIMON IN THIS ROUGH

Bloggers on JPMorgan Chase CEO Replacing Geithner: Nah

Jamie Dimon not in tune with Obama, too invested in big banks

Nov 23, 09 10:00 PM CST
(Newser) - A report today that JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has the inside track to replace Timothy Geithner as Treasury Secretary is getting mostly guffaws online, with even the conservative Wall Street Journal admitting that Dimon’s way too much an insider for the job just now. Indeed, chuckles Daniel Indiviglio... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Wall Street • consumer protection • rumor • JPMorgan Chase • Obama administration • Treasury secretary • financial crisis • Jamie Dimon • President Obama • Timothy Geithner • Obama Cabinet • big banks

953 Stories


World  •  Politics  •  US 
TwitterFollow @NewserWorld on Twitter

 
Afghanistan • troop surge • BBC • Afghanistan war • Obama administration • Robert Gibbs • President Obama • Stanley McChrystal • Said Jawad

from our news partners