US Military: Afghan Surge Begins Next Week

Defense Talk ^ | 12/14/2009 | Army News — By Voice of America

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

U.S. Admiral Michael Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says the military's focus now is the rapid deployment of 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan and the initial elements of the surge will begin arriving next week.

Speaking to reporters at the Pentagon, Admiral Mullen says orders have been issued to combat infantry, engineers and civil affairs experts to deploy to Afghanistan, with 1,500 Marines expected to arrive in southern Helmand Province next week.

Mullen indicated there is a sense of urgency at the Pentagon to implement U.S. President Barack Obama's decision to send tens of thousands of additional troops to the war and then begin withdrawing them by July 2011.

"The debate is over, the decision has been made, it is - it is time to execute," said Admiral Mullen. "That must be our focus now, our only focus, and it is."

Admiral Mullen says the Pentagon is accelerating deployment plans for the surge forces and the bulk of the new troops will be in place within the next six months.

Mullen says tens of thousands of construction materials, winter gear and other equipment are also in the pipeline.

The admiral says a significant number of special operations forces will join the conventional combat soldiers and they will target al-Qaida and Taliban leaders.

"So every effort will be made to focus on certainly key leaders of the insurgency, key leaders in the terrorist world from the point of view of counterterrorism, and every effort will be made to capture or kill them," he said. "And that is ongoing as we speak, and that is a - that is a very important part of the overall strategic approach here."

[eyedigress]

Winter in Afghanistan must be a real bitch!

[Brugmansian]

Here's the people Obama is going to hand the fighting over to in 18 months:

Video:Inside Afghanistan-Fighting Alongside Stoned Afghan Soldiers

[cherry]

I hope they have the courtesy to call ahead.....

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Its better than the summer.

[Red_Devil 232]

"... there is a sense of urgency at the Pentagon to implement U.S. President Barack Obama's decision to send tens of thousands of additional troops ..."

Yep get it done before Zero changes his mind!

[Recon Dad]

According to my son the first snows have come and the place is all mud.

[Melchior]

Admiral Mike Mullin is the Pentagon’s Barbara Boxer.

[Condor51]

The admiral says a significant number of special operations forces will join the conventional combat soldiers and they will target al-Qaida and Taliban leaders.

"So every effort will be made to focus on certainly key leaders of the insurgency, key leaders in the terrorist world from the point of view of counterterrorism, and every effort will be made to capture or kill them," he said. "And that is ongoing as we speak, and that is a - that is a very important part of the overall strategic approach here."

Exsqueeze me Admiral? Have you talked to General McChrystal lately? It seems that his Rules of Engagement differ just a tad from your 'kill them' statement. Maybe you should give him a call.

I'm sure that the troops and the Army and Marine SNIPERS would appreciate a clarification. The word on the street is they're not allowed to 'pull the trigger' (honest, I wouldn't kid you).