'Commander Sees "Tough Fight" In Afghan War', USA Today, 8 December 2008

EXCERPT: "The top commander of U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan said Sunday that 2009 will be a 'tough fight' in Afghanistan and the United States will need nearly twice as many troops for up to four years to stabilize the country. In an interview with USA TODAY at the International Security Assistance Force headquarters, Gen. David McKiernan said increasing U.S. troop levels from about 32,000 to 55,000 or 60,000 is 'needed until we get to this tipping point where the Afghan army and the Afghan police have both the capacity and capability to provide security for their people.' 'That is at least three or four more years away,' he added. The Afghan army has 78,000 troops and is building to 134,000. McKiernan said he has asked the Pentagon for more than 20,000 soldiers, Marines and airmen. He also called on NATO nations to increase their commitment of troops to Afghanistan and to remove restrictions on how and when they can fight. There are about 31,000 troops from other nations in Afghanistan."

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See also:
'', The Associated Press, 8 December 2008
'', Washington Post, 8 December 2008
'Afghan build-up for 20,000 troops', The Age, 7 December 2008
'Most new US troops will go to Kabul, NYT says', Bloomberg, 7 December 2008
'Taliban urges Western troops to leave Afghanistan', Reuters India, 7 December 2008

Related posts:
'Afghan leader complains US, NATO aren't succeeding', 26 November 2008
'US troops to surge in Afghanistan', 21 November 2008
'Afghanistan troop buildup could more than double', 29 October 2008
'How to save Afghanistan', 17 July 2008
'Afghan stability will take a generation: US general', 29 April 2008