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Title: Mullen Stresses Urgent Need for Troops in Afghanistan
Source:
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URL Source: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/200 ... xpects-afghan-casualties-rise/
Published: Dec 7, 2009
Author: AP
Post Date: 2009-12-07 20:55:21 by christine
Keywords: None
Views: 169
Comments: 12
The nation's highest-ranking military officer told soldiers and Marines that the insurgency in Afghanistan has grown in the last three years and he expects casualties to rise next year as additional U.S. troops pour into the war. CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – The nation's highest-ranking military officer told soldiers and Marines Monday that the insurgency in Afghanistan has grown in the last three years and he expects casualties to rise next year as additional U.S. troops pour into the war. "This is the most dangerous time I've seen growing up the last four decades in uniform," Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told about 1,000 Marines at Camp Lejeune. Many attending Mullen's talks at Camp Lejeune and Fort Campbell, Ky., will be sent to Afghanistan in President Barack Obama's plan announced last week. After the first of the year, the Marines will begin sending an additional 6,200 from Lejeune and Camp Pendleton, Calif., the Pentagon announced Monday. The Army will also begin sending in the first of its forces in the spring — a training brigade with about 3,400 soldiers from Fort Drum, N.Y. Three brigades from Fort Campbell's 101st Airborne Division are also heading to Afghanistan and about 4,100 support forces from various places will deploy early. "We are not winning, which means we are losing and as we are losing, the message traffic out there to (insurgency) recruits keeps getting better and better and more keep coming," Mullen said. "That's why we need the 30,000 and in particular, and you are the lead on this, getting in there this year, over the next 12 months, almost in lightning bolt fashion." Mullen told 700 soldiers at Fort Campbell that military leaders believe they have 18 to 24 months to reverse the insurgency, in what he expects to be a tough and bloody fight. "I am sure we will sustain an increase in the level of casualties, and I don't want to be in any way unclear about that," he told troops at Fort Campbell. "This is what happened in Iraq during the surge and as tragic as it is, to turn this thing around, it will be a part of this surge, as well." "I expect a tough fight in 2010," Mullen said. Camp Lejeune will supply 1,500 Marines by Christmas. An additional 6,200 are to follow next year. Pvt. William Schenider, 20 from Woodbridge, N.J., expects to deploy early next year. As a new rifleman, the deployment will be his first. "This is what we've been training up for nine months. We want to put our training to use," Schenider said. Many questions from soldiers and Marines focused on the role of Pakistan and America's NATO allies in containing Al Qaeda and the Taliban and on the July 2011 withdraw date. Mullen said the 2011 date is not an end or withdrawal date. "In the long run, it is not going to be about killing Taliban," Mullen told the Marines at Camp Lejeune. "In the long run, it's going to be because the Afghan people want them out." Mullen said the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan is "the epicenter for global terrorism." He said Pakistan's military has made huge gains in routing out terrorists from that country, but reminded soldiers that Pakistan is a sovereign nation and that the U.S. wants to maintain a long-term stable relationship with Pakistan. "In the long run, we are anxious to get at Al Qaeda and the leadership that resides in that border area," he said. "Strategically the way you do this in my view is to bring pressure from both sides."
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#1. To: christine (#0)
Well, somebody's got to protect that $10 million a day that's being stolen. It may as well be us, since a good portion of it will be going to our defense contractors and drug lords.
Do we sense that they are building us up for an incursion across the Pakistan border. After "terrorists" of course. Americans will say not a word.
i wish our kids would stop enlisting.
No enlistments, there would be an immediate draft. Ventura the other day said he is for as draft, it is the only way to stop the endless wars.
Mullen is a useless, mindless tool. STFU
So do I, c. But it's the employer of last resort, for many. Sad, but true.
Sir Lod. Now, now calm down. It is rather amazing that in one day we have gone into a losing mode. Where was Mullen the two months Obumski was thinking about it??? Pakistan here we come, do dah do dah.
There is a hidden mechanism at work here. Hard times brings in the "volunteers". They want to get wounded or killed, really. Then when there is war, if you are not college material, no one will hire you if you are 1A, so you "volunteer". There is a solution, dont be dumb and or poor, skate thru life.
Mullen is a useless mindless piece of stool (crap). Now that's more appropriate Lod.
Mullen -- "By the way, kids, be sure to keep your Miranda Rights Card handy so you can read those rights to any enemy troop you might run into."
Rather odd, Obumski took over two months to reach a decision on troop deployment, no hurry, get it right, on and on, then he makes a decision and the roof falls in. We are losing, times are bad, more troops needed. Things went to hell in a matter of one week. Hope Obumski is keeping an eye on Iraq, another 125 people killed in Baghdad, (the town we pacified) wink wink.
No - that would be Washington DC.
"Satan / Cheney in "08" Mullen Stresses Urgent Need for Troops in Afghanistan
#2. To: christine (#0)
Mullen said the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan is "the epicenter for global terrorism."
#3. To: JRiggs, Cynicom (#1)
#4. To: christine (#3)
i wish our kids would stop enlisting.
#5. To: christine (#0)
#6. To: christine (#3)
i wish our kids would stop enlisting.
#7. To: Lod (#5)
#8. To: Lod (#6)
But it's the employer of last resort, for many.
#9. To: Lod (#5)
Mullen is a useless, mindless tool.
#10. To: christine (#0)
#11. To: sizzlerguy (#9)
#12. To: christine (#0)
Mullen said the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan is "the epicenter for global terrorism."
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