Afghan surge opening timetable announced

Malaysia News.Net
Friday 11th December, 2009

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the US, Admiral Michael Mullen, has announced the initial elements of 30,000 person troop deployment to Afghanistan will start next week.

Speaking at the Pentagon, Admiral Mullen said the military focus now would be to rapidly deploy the troops to Afghanistan.

He said 1,500 Marines were expected to arrive in southern Helmand Province next week.

He said the Pentagon wanted to quickly implement US President Barack Obama's decision to send tens of thousands of additional troops to the region for with combat, engineering and civil work.

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

He said the combat forces would focus on key leaders of the insurgency, with every effort being made to "capture or kill them."

Admiral Mullen said the bulk of the new troops would be in place within the next six months with tens of thousands of construction materials, winter gear and other equipment.

Claiming US and NATO forces were involved in "a very significant deterioration of the security environment in Afghanistan," he said violence had increased 60 percent in 2009 compared to last year.

Admiral Mullen said troops would need to reverse the momentum quickly.

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