[R-G] Obama increases Afghan deployment

[Anthony Fenton]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7895951.stm
Obama increases Afghan deployment

President Barack Obama has authorised the deployment of up to 17,000  
extra US troops to Afghanistan, saying they are to "meet urgent  
security needs".

Two brigades - one army and one marine - are to be sent, Mr Obama said  
in a statement released by the White House.

This first major troop deployment under Mr Obama comes as his  
administration reviews US policy in Afghanistan.

The troops are to be sent before warmer weather brings an expected  
increase in fighting, defence officials said.

The US already has about 14,000 troops serving with a Nato-led  
mission. There are also 19,000 US troops under sole US command  
fighting Taleban insurgents.

US commanders in Afghanistan have requested 30,000 additional troops.

Mr Obama said the increase "is necessary to stabilize a deteriorating  
situation in Afghanistan".

"The Taleban is resurgent in Afghanistan, and al-Qaeda supports the  
insurgency and threatens America from its safe-haven along the  
Pakistani border," Mr Obama said.

Afghanistan, he said, "has not received the strategic attention,  
direction and resources it urgently requires".

He said the deployment was made possible by the upcoming drawdown of  
US troop numbers in Iraq.