国产热热热精品,亚洲视频久久】日韩,三级婷婷在线久久,99人妻精品视频,精品九热人人肉肉在线,AV东京热一区二区,91po在线视频观看,久久激情宗合,青青草黄色手机视频

WORLD> America
Gates: More US troops could head to Afghanistan
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-07-17 09:44

CHICAGO: The Pentagon's chief said Thursday he could send more US troops to Afghanistan this year than he'd initially expected and is considering increasing the number of soldiers in the Army.

Both issues reflect demands on increasingly stressed American forces tasked with fighting two wars.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates' comments came during a short visit to Fort Drum in upstate New York, an Army post that that he said has deployed more soldiers to battle zones over the last 20 years than any other unit. Two Fort Drum brigades are headed to Iraq in coming months, and a third is currently in Afghanistan.

Gates: More US troops could head to Afghanistan
US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates holds a news conference at the end of a NATO defence ministers' meeting at the Alliance headquarters in Brussels June 12, 2009. [Agencies]Gates: More US troops could head to Afghanistan

Asked about Afghanistan by one soldier, Gates said, "I think there will not be a significant increase in troop levels in Afghanistan beyond the 68,000, at least probably through the end of the year. Maybe some increase, but not a lot."

Related readings:
Gates: More US troops could head to Afghanistan Gates hopeful of missile defense progress at US-Russia summit
Gates: More US troops could head to Afghanistan China, US need maximum cooperation: Gates
Gates: More US troops could head to Afghanistan Gates leaves for Asia for security talks
Gates: More US troops could head to Afghanistan Which Gates? Obama flubs defense chief's name

Gates: More US troops could head to Afghanistan Gates calls on Pakistan to do more to fight Taliban

So far, the Obama administration has approved sending 68,000 troops to Afghanistan by the end of 2009, including 21,000 that were added this spring.

The White House has wanted to wait until the end of the year before deciding whether to deploy more, but Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said that Gates does not want to discourage his new commander in Kabul, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, from taking a frank look at how many troops he needs.

McChrystal, who took over as commander for all US and NATO forces in Afghanistan last month, is expected to advise Washington in the next few weeks on his views of how to win the 8-year war.

McChrystal is nearing the end of a 60-day review of troop requirements in Afghanistan, and will soon provide that report to Gates.

The former US commander in Afghanistan, Gen. David McKiernan, had told Obama that he needed an additional 10,000 troops, beyond the 68,000. The White House had put off that decision until the end of this year.

Gates and other military leaders have said they are reluctant to send many more US troops to Afghanistan, because of concerns that a large American footprint there could appear to Afghans as an occupying force.

   Previous page 1 2 Next Page  

日照市| 邯郸县| 磐石市| 沁阳市| 阜南县| 桂东县| 栾川县| 高清| 兴义市| 临邑县| 漳浦县| 西乡县| 东安县| 定襄县| 阳朔县| 枣强县| 重庆市| 泽州县| 汶川县| 五寨县| 黄石市| 若羌县| 兰考县| 施甸县| 尚志市| 榕江县| 屏东市| 福建省| 京山县| 福贡县| 崇文区| 五河县| 团风县| 黄龙县| 专栏| 阿鲁科尔沁旗| 诸暨市| 聊城市| 高州市| 九龙县| 买车|