Troop Surge in Afghanistan to be Phased Deployment Over Next 12 to 18 Months.

[tekisui]

Source: Washington Post

Newly deployed Marines to target Taliban bastion

KABUL -- Days after President Obama outlines his new war strategy in a speech Tuesday, as many as 9,000 Marines will begin final preparations to deploy to southern Afghanistan and renew an assault on a Taliban stronghold that slowed this year amid a troop shortage and political pressure from the Afghan government, senior U.S. officials said.

The extra Marines will be the first to move into the country as part of Obama's escalation of the eight-year-old war. They will double the size of the U.S. force in the southern province of Helmand and will provide a critical test for Afghan President Hamid Karzai's struggling government and Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal's counterinsurgency strategy.

"The first troops out of the door are going to be Marines," Gen. James T. Conway, the Corps' top officer, told fellow Marines in Afghanistan on Saturday. "We've been leaning forward in anticipation of a decision. And we've got some pretty stiff fighting coming."

The Marines will be quickly followed by about 1,000 U.S. Army trainers. They will deploy as early as February to speed the growth of the Afghan army and police force, military officials said.

The new forces will not start moving until Obama outlines his new strategy in a speech at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. The revised plan, which faces a war-weary and increasingly skeptical American public, is expected to call for 30,000 to 35,000 new troops in a phased deployment over the next 12 to 18 months.

more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/28/AR2009112802454.html
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So, we're looking at mid-2011 before the troops are entirely in place?

[eleny]

1. How the heck is a phase-in a surge

[tekisui]

7. You are right, it is really an escalation.

[Karmadillo]

2. Here comes President Kill again.

http://chalkhills.org/reelbyreal/s_President.html

Here comes President Kill again, surrounded by all of his killing men. Telling us who, why, where and when, President Kill wants killing again.

Hooray, ring out the bells, King Conscience is dead. Hooray, now back in your cells, we've President Kill instead.

Here comes President Kill again. Broadcasting from his killing den. Dressed in pounds and dollars and yen, President Kill wants killing again.

Hooray, hang out the flags, Queen Caring is dead. Hooray, we'll stack body bags, for President Kill instead.

Ain't democracy wonderful, them Russians can't win! Ain't democracy wonderful? Lets us vote someone like that in.

Here comes President Kill again, from pure White House to Number 10. Taking lives with a smoking pen, President Kill wants killing again.

Hooray, everything's great, now President Kill is dead. Hooray, I'll bet you can't wait, to vote for President Kill instead...

[Aramchek]

4. some of you have gone full bore looney

[shadowknows69]

13. I am a full bore looney according to my shrink

But I'm still not as nuts as the fools running this country into the ground.

[Echo In Light]

14. Via "incompetence" and "cowardice," but surely not by calculated design

;)

[shadowknows69]

15. That would be crazy. Which is why I'm sure it's the case.

[TexasObserver]

3. Recommended.

[chill_wind]

5. k & R.

thank you for all your postings and updates tekisui.

[Solly Mack]

6. k/r

[bigtree]

8. remember though

. . . this argument about the folly of a phase-in as opposed to a surge is being used by Kyl (and other surge proponents) in his criticism of the president's plan. In one way, the criticism is correct. The creeping escalation has the effect of spreading the misery out, opposite the temporarily pacifying (but nonetheless counterproductive) effect of a 'surge'.

[tekisui]

9. Withdrawal not tied to conditions on ground, nor strict timeline...

The withdrawal will not be tied to the conditions on the ground, nor will it be as strict as the timeline now in place in Iraq.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/30/the-early-word-speech-prep/

Wonder what it will be based on then?

[bigtree]

10. hope

(false ones)

[tekisui]

11. Here ya go:

[shadowknows69]

12. Just a gradual reinforcing of the empire. Nothing to see here.