Friday, October 23, 2009

Afghanistan War News Updates -- October 23, 2009


US Can Handle Afghan Surge -- DoD Buzz

There are enough soldiers and Marines to maintain planned force levels in Iraq and provide enough troops for any potential “surge” of forces to Afghanistan, “whatever the president decides,” said Vice Adm. James Winnefeld, director for strategic plans and policy on the Joint Staff. While the long term “health” of the ground forces could be affected by the need to simultaneously boost troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan, there are still plenty of troops to pull it off.

There are 120,000 troops still in Iraq, a number that continues to drop in line with withdrawal plans laid out by Iraq commander Gen. Ray Odierno that call for no more than 50,000 American troops there by August. Most of the remaining troops will serve in an advisory capacity.

Read more ....

More News On Afghanistan

NATO members: no more troops to Afghanistan now -- AP
2 NATO members: no more troops to Afghanistan now -- AP
NATO moves toward more troops for Afghan war -- Yahoo News/AP
With no US decision on Afghanistan, what will NATO discuss? -- Christian Science Monitor
McChrystal meets Nato on Afghan war -- Al Jazeera
U.S. commander to address NATO on Afghan war strategy -- CNN

UN endorses Afghan troop request -- BBC
UN Envoy Endorses More Troops for Afghanistan -- Voice of America

General Sir David Richards: five more years of fighting in Afghanistan -- The Telegraph
British soldier killed by explosion in Afghanistan -- the Telegraph
FACTBOX-Security developments in Afghanistan, Oct 23 -- Reuters
US military deaths in Afghanistan region at 806 -- Sacramento bee/AP

Obama Team Meets on Afghanistan Runoff -- Voice of America
Karzai says wants "better" Afghan election run-off -- Yahoo News/Reuters
Afghanistan’s Election Runoff: Logistical Trainwreck -- The Danger Room
Afghan election runoff: As officials scramble, some voters dig in heels -- Christian Science Monitor
A New Vote Poses Similar Troubles for Afghans -- New York Times
Afghan Ballots Go Out, by Air and Donkey -- Wall Street Journal
U.N. Envoy Says Afghan Vote Fraud Cannot Be Eliminated -- New York Times

Obama nears Afghanistan decision -- AFP
US Lawmakers Hear Diverse Opinions on Afghanistan -- Voice of America
White House and Cheney in a War of Words over Afghanistan -- Washington Post
Insurgents Share a Name, but Pursue Different Goals -- New York Times
Nato's new Afghan strategy -- Straits Times

Commentaries And Analysis

Obama is breaking his vow to fight a ‘war of necessity’ -- Politico
The third front in Afghanistan: the American public -- Christian Science Monitor
EDITORAL: Obama’s Afghanistan dilemma -- Daily Times
ANALYSIS-On Afghanistan, Joe Biden plays devil's advocate -- Reuters

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