3-star: Training Afghans key to success of war

[unhappycamper]

3-star: Training Afghans key to success of war
By John Milburn - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Oct 30, 2009 16:05:17 EDT

FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. — A top Army general said Friday that training Afghanistan’s struggling military and police forces is critical if the U.S. wants to succeed after eight years of war and he’s confident President Barack Obama will OK sending more troops there to do that.

Lt. Gen. William Caldwell IV, who was confirmed by the Senate late Wednesday to lead the joint U.S. and NATO training mission in Afghanistan, told reporters at a farewell reception that he believes Obama will give the war’s top commander, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, at least a portion of the 40,000 additional troops he’s requested.

“It has to be done. We have to make this succeed,” Caldwell said. “I don’t think our government would ask us to go over and do this mission if they weren’t going to give us the resources.”

Obama already has upped the U.S. commitment in Afghanistan to 68,000 troops and is considering sending a large amount more, although probably fewer than the 40,000 troops requested by McChrystal, U.S. officials have said. Caldwell declined to say how many troops he thinks Obama will send.

The president holds his next war council meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Friday, but aides say he is still weeks — perhaps several — away from a decision.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2009/10/ap_afghanistan_training_103009/