More troops ‘probably’ needed for Afghanistan
Published 10:33 pm Tuesday, September 15, 2009
WASHINGTON — The nation’s top military officer told Congress on Tuesday that the U.S. war in Afghanistan “probably needs more forces” and sought to reassure lawmakers that commanders were devising new tactics that would lead to victory over a resurgent Taliban.
Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that between 2,000 and 4,000 additional military trainers from the United States and its NATO partners will be needed to “jump start” the expansion of Afghan security forces and strongly suggested that more U.S. combat troops will be required to provide security in the short term.
“A properly resourced counterinsurgency probably needs more forces,” Mullen said in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Mullen spoke amid a growing political debate over Afghanistan as President Barack Obama weighs a recently completed assessment of the war by Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. commander there.
Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., the committee chairman, argued strenuously Tuesday against the deployment of any more U.S. combat forces, while Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., the ranking Republican member, said a delay in sending more combat forces would “repeat the nearly catastrophic mistakes” in Iraq before the Bush administration increased troop levels.
Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said Defense Secretary Robert Gates remains undecided on whether more troops are needed. Morrell downplayed the possibility of disagreement between the Pentagon’s civilian leadership and the uniformed forces, saying that Gates “clearly has a great deal of respect for Admiral Mullen.”
Since spring, the number of Taliban attacks and U.S. casualties have risen to their highest rates of the eight-year war.
