First New U.S. Troops in Afghanistan Warned of ‘More Combat’
Though putting more United States soldiers in greater risk is not desirable by any means, Admiral Mullen’s statements about more combat could be interpreted as a step in the right direction.
If the 30,000 additional troops can be put to use for ground combat it could be the key to thwarting air strikes which have only driven the Afghan people towards the Taliban in response to a lack of development and increasing civilian casualties over the last 8 years:
The first of a total of 30,000 extra U.S. soldiers to be deployed to Afghanistan will arrive in the country this week, the head of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday.
“I told our troops heading here to steel themselves for more combat and more casualties,” Adm. Mike Mullen, who is in Afghanistan on a visit, said.
He also said that “the insurgency has grown more violent, more pervasive, more sophisticated.”
First new U.S. troops to arrive in Afghanistan this week [Ria Novosti]