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Obama orders 17,000 troops to Afghanistan
Daily Kos —
... Gates' request for additional troops with an order to deploy a Marine Expeditionary Brigade later this spring and an Army Stryker Brigade this summer. In a statement released by the White House, President Obama declared, "This increase is necessary to stabilize a deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, which has not received the strategic attention, direction and resources it urgently requires." Shortly after the president's announcement was released, the Pentagon outlined additional details about the deployment: Pursuant to President ...
The president, noting that long-term Afghanistan strategy remains open, but OKs 17K more troops; Russ Feingold wants to be sure we HAVE a strategy
DownWithTyranny! —
... (In an update, Spencer took note of a subsequent Pentagon statement that clarifies the new troop commitment as, in his words, "12,000 combat soldiers and marines, plus another 5,000 support troops, for a plus-up of 17,000 by the summer.") ...
Diversions
Mudville Gazette —
... "The Afghanistan Surge" would actually be just two units and support personnel. The official DoD announcement revealed that one of them would be the 5th Stryker Brigade: ...
Andrew Sargus Klein: Momentum at slow-boil
Politics on HuffingtonPost.com —
... The administration ramped up strikes within Pakistan's border—exactly what Obama said he'd do in the campaign—and ordered 17,000 more troops into Afghanistan. That is going to cost money. Not necessarily Iraq-level tabs, but enough to be a major dent in the administration's budget. It's quite possible the continued cost of war is as much a factor on the size of the stimulus as was the blanket resistance from Congressional Republicans. ...
Obama’s Cautious Approach To Afghanistan
Wonk Room —
... for the war in Afghanistan and Pakistan. In addition to the 17,000 troops already announced, Obama will deploy a brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division to train and advise Afghan security forces – making the total increase in U.S. forces in Afghanistan roughly 21,000. These forces will be needed to improve the security situation, especially in southern and eastern Afghanistan, as weather improves and the fighting season begins. ...
