Defence secretary Robert M. Gates will endorse a $20 billion plan to substantially increase the size of Afghanistan’s Army and will also restructure the military command of American and Nato forces in response to the growing Taliban threat, senior Pentagon and military officials said on Thursday.
Taken together, the two decisions are an acknowledgement of shortcomings that continue to hinder Nato and American-led operations in Afghanistan. With the war in Iraq still an obstacle to any immediate American troop increase in Afghanistan, the plan was described by officials as an attempt to increase allied and Afghan capabilities in advance of deploying the additional American brigades that Mr Gates and his commanders agree are necessary. The additional American troops are unlikely to be available until next year.
0 comments:
Post a Comment