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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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Pentagon Holds Secret Afghan War Games

Mullen leads exercise to assess effects of troop surge

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(Newser) – The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, led a secret war game earlier this month to assess the Obama administration's options in Afghanistan, including a 44,000-troop surge. A team of military leaders used Gen. Stanley McChrystal's analysis to examine how Taliban insurgents and the Afghan and Pakistani governments would respond to several scenarios. The Pentagon did not endorse any one strategy, but sent the results to President Obama and Defense Secretary Bob Gates.

The exercise compared two possible routes: either a massive surge or a smaller increase in troops that would focus on counterterrorism more than military success. Mullen led the secret game as debate over the future of the American mission continues to divide the administration. Officials tell the Washington Post that Obama may settle on a plan soon but will delay announcing it until the second round of Afghanistan's presidential election, scheduled for Nov. 7.

An Army carry team carries the transfer case containing the remains of Army Pfc. Kimble A. Han, of Lehi, Utah, at Dover Air Force Base, Del., on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009.
An Army carry team carries the transfer case containing the remains of Army Pfc. Kimble A. Han, of Lehi, Utah, at Dover Air Force Base, Del., on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009.   (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
A US Special Operations soldier peers through his rifle scope during a patrol in Afghanistan's Farah province, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009.
A US Special Operations soldier peers through his rifle scope during a patrol in Afghanistan's Farah province, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009.   (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
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8 comments
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Netstorm2k9
Oct 26, 09 12:38 PM CDT
Ahh, imperialism. Must be nice to decide the fate of people whose faces you'll never have to look away from. Reply
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+1
IN RESPONSE:
MolonLabe1776
Oct 26, 09 3:02 PM CDT
Yeah, it sure is. That's why its important to build and maintain your empire, so you get to be the decider instead of the faceless impoverished. Vae victis!
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-2
IN RESPONSE:
Netstorm2k9
Oct 26, 09 3:20 PM CDT
Makes me wanna play Total War.
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0
IN RESPONSE:
JonmarkP
Oct 26, 09 5:13 PM CDT
Actually, the faceless impoverished are the poor suckers funding this insane scheme for public funding of private profit, this invert Communism. We build and maintain the empire at our expense, but only the wealthy benefit, and their kids are never the ones to die. Not really anything for America to gloat about, you know?
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+1
cognitivefilter
Oct 26, 09 4:57 PM CDT
ah, what? Reply
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0

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