U.S. Plans 16,000 More Troops in Afghanistan by June

[Coventina]

Source: Bloomberg

Dec. 7 (Bloomberg) -- The first U.S. forces in President Barack Obama’s planned surge of 30,000 troops in Afghanistan will deploy by year’s end, with 14,500 more expected there by June, the Pentagon said today.

Fifteen hundred Marines from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, will leave later this month, spokesman Bryan Whitman said. About 7,000 more Marines from Lejeune and Camp Pendleton, California, plus an Army training brigade of 3,400 from the 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York, will begin deploying in mid- March, he said.

An additional 4,100 combat support troops also will be sent starting in mid-March, Whitman said. There are roughly 68,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan today, including 10,000 Marines in Helmand province, a Taliban stronghold.

Separately, NATO allies today pledged to send almost 7,000 more troops to Afghanistan, a number in line with estimates the alliance made last week.

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aIgkjjO6cZK4

[tekisui]

1. Obama was wanting all 30,000 by June.

The Pentagon warned that it was likely impossible. I guess they couldn't do it. Another 'delay' to our 'exit plan'.

[Solly Mack]

2. k/r

[Bragi]

3. /nt