Obama announces Afghanistan troop surge
Barack Obama announces 30,000 US troops will be deployed in Afghanistan
Wednesday, 02, Dec 2009 03:50
By Maria Tonelli and Matthew Champion.
Barack Obama has announced that the US will deploy 30,000 extra troops to the Afghanistan theatre.
The president unveiled his administration's strategy and the deployment of 30,000 troops over the next six months in a long-awaited speech at West Point military academy in New York.
In a serious and defiant tone, Mr Obama claimed growing instability in Afghanistan had led to his approval of a long-awaited request for more troops.
Although keen to point out progress, he declared he had not taken the decision lightly and reminded the American people of the "huge challenges that still remain".
Outlining the main objectives for the strategy, he said increased military effort to stabilise current conditions in Afghanistan, a civilian surge to promote positive action and a mutual partnership with Pakistan were key to fighting the threat of al-Qaida and the Taliban, and ending the American military presence successfully.
It is hoped the deployment will accelerate the transition of power and responsibility to the Afghan forces so that American and foreign troops could begin the transfer out of Afghanistan by July 2011.
Washington currently has more than 68,000 troops stationed in Afghanistan, while the total number of foreign troops is more than 100,000.
Addressing the fears of the US people after opinion polls showed support for the war was in decline, he asked for the US to stand united.
He said: "We are passing through a time of great trial but the message we send must be clear: that our cause is just, our resolve unwavering."
President Obama had been debating for several months how to respond to the senior Nato commander in the country, US General Stanley McChrystal, requesting an additional 40,000 troops.
He has held off from announcing his decision for weeks and held ten meetings with his war council. It became apparent in the last few days however that he favoured a deployment of between 25,000 and 30,000 additional troops.
President Obama's Afghan, Russian and French counterparts were all informed of the new strategy earlier this week, as was UK prime minister Gordon Brown.
On Monday Mr Brown announced the deployment of 500 extra British troops to Afghanistan, taking the UK presence in the country to 10,000.
In a statement issued shortly after President Obama's speech, Mr Brown said: "I call on all our allies to unite behind President Obama's strategy.
"Britain will continue to play its full part in persuading other countries to offer troops to the Afghanistan campaign.
"A vital next stage is the London conference on Afghanistan on January 28th, to which all 43 coalition nations will be invited.
"It will offer an opportunity to agree a process to transfer provinces and districts to Afghan control; to make decisions on new civilian co-ordination in Afghanistan; and to support commitments by President Karzai on Afghan reforms to build up the Afghan army and police, and local governance; and to secure further support from international partners."
Many if not most of the new US troops being sent to Afghanistan will be in place by early 2010.