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US 'adds 30,000 to Afghan troops' Obama 'to detail Afghan end-game'
(about 1 hour later)
President Barack Obama is to rapidly deploy 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan within six months, US officials have said. President Barack Obama is to tell the American people that US troops will start to leave Afghanistan within three years, a senior official has said.
Mr Obama will make the much-anticipated announcement as part of a speech to the nation at West Point military academy. He will outline the rough withdrawal plan in a speech to the nation, when he will also announce a rapid six-month deployment of 30,000 extra troops.
Officials in Brussels say the American president is also asking Nato allies to provide up to 10,000 extra soldiers. Mr Obama has also asked Nato allies to send up to 10,000 more combat soldiers.
The US currently has 68,000 troops in Afghanistan, with foreign forces overall totalling more than 100,000. But France has refused, while Germany postponed any decision. The UK has agreed to send 500 more soldiers.
President Obama's Afghan surge is expected to focus on tackling the Taliban in the volatile south and east of the country. In Tuesday evening's much-anticipated speech at West Point military academy, Mr Obama will outline how his troop surge will take on the Taliban.
End-game?
He is also expected to lay out a rough timeframe for how long the main US military mission will last.
MARDELL'S AMERICA The danger for the president is that this middling figure will annoy hawks, while annoying those who think any new build-up is undesirable Read Mark's thoughts in fullMARDELL'S AMERICA The danger for the president is that this middling figure will annoy hawks, while annoying those who think any new build-up is undesirable Read Mark's thoughts in full
A senior Pentagon official told the BBC the new troops would be made up of 9,000 Marines and 21,000 regular soldiers, of which 4,000 will train Afghan security forces. A senior administration official told AP news agency President Obama would tell the American people that US troops will start leaving Afghanistan "well before" his first term ends in 2012.
President Obama's prime-time address to the nation on Tuesday evening comes amid growing domestic concern over the eight-year-old Afghan war. The US currently has 68,000 troops in Afghanistan, with foreign forces overall totalling more than 100,000.
The BBC's Paul Adams in Washington says Mr Obama will seek to reassure a confused and suspicious public that this is not an open-ended mission. A senior Pentagon official told the BBC the new troops would be made up of 9,000 Marines and 21,000 regular soldiers, including trainers.
For all the sense of deeper engagement, this hugely important speech will also be about how the US president intends to get out of Afghanistan, our correspondent adds. Mr Obama has reached his deployment decision after more than three months of deliberations and 10 top-level meetings with advisers.
'Quick punch' The BBC's Paul Adams in Washington says for all the sense of deeper engagement, this hugely important speech will also be about how the US president intends to get out of Afghanistan.
Both the rising violence - more than 900 US soldiers have died in Afghanistan - and the chaos that followed August's discredited elections have fanned mounting American opposition to the mission. The rising violence - more than 900 US soldiers have died in Afghanistan - and the chaos that followed August's discredited elections have fanned mounting American opposition to the eight-year-old war.
OBAMA's SCHEDULE 2100 GMT: Meets Congressional leaders at White House2230 GMT: Departs for West Point, New York0100 GMT Weds: Address to the nation0340 GMT Weds: Arrives back at the White House Marines train for Afghanistan Afghans sceptical on new troops Mixed feelings in AfghanistanOBAMA's SCHEDULE 2100 GMT: Meets Congressional leaders at White House2230 GMT: Departs for West Point, New York0100 GMT Weds: Address to the nation0340 GMT Weds: Arrives back at the White House Marines train for Afghanistan Afghans sceptical on new troops Mixed feelings in Afghanistan
Earlier this year, however, the US military commander in Afghanistan, Gen Stanley McChrystal, warned that America risked failure unless troop numbers were increased. Earlier this year, the US military commander in Afghanistan, Gen Stanley McChrystal, warned America risked failure unless troop numbers were increased. He requested 40,000 more soldiers.
He requested 40,000 more soldiers.
Mr Obama has reached his decision after 10 top-level meetings with advisers over three months.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told MSNBC on Tuesday: "This is not an open-ended commitment, what we are doing is putting forward a comprehensive strategy and an end-game in Afghanistan."White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told MSNBC on Tuesday: "This is not an open-ended commitment, what we are doing is putting forward a comprehensive strategy and an end-game in Afghanistan."
He said the deployment would be accelerated to "deliver a punch quickly".He said the deployment would be accelerated to "deliver a punch quickly".
The US president has outlined the new military strategy to Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai. He is also thought to have briefed the leaders of Russia, France, Britain, Germany and China.The US president has outlined the new military strategy to Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai. He is also thought to have briefed the leaders of Russia, France, Britain, Germany and China.
The BBC's Martin Patience in Kabul says that while the speech will probably receive a cautious welcome from the Afghan government, many people in the country do not want any more foreign forces.The BBC's Martin Patience in Kabul says that while the speech will probably receive a cautious welcome from the Afghan government, many people in the country do not want any more foreign forces.
European allies
They say every time America sends more troops the security situation gets worse, and some question why the US is spending billions of dollars on the military - and not on aid and reconstruction.They say every time America sends more troops the security situation gets worse, and some question why the US is spending billions of dollars on the military - and not on aid and reconstruction.
Angela Merkel said she would make no decision on troops before January An unnamed Nato diplomat told AP news agency on Tuesday that President Obama had asked European allies to contribute between 5,000 and 10,000 new troops to Afghanistan.
An unnamed Nato diplomat told AP news agency on Tuesday that President Obama is asking European allies to contribute between 5,000 and 10,000 new troops to Afghanistan. But President Nicolas Sarkozy's special envoy to Afghanistan told AFP news agency that France had ruled out sending more troops, although he said Paris might send military trainers.
On Monday, Britain confirmed it was sending 500 more troops, taking the UK's total deployment there to 10,000. In Berlin, Chancellor Angela Merkel told a news conference Germany would wait until after a 28 January conference in London on Afghanistan before deciding on any troop increases.
Italy has also said it will increase its force, although without saying by how much.Italy has also said it will increase its force, although without saying by how much.
But President Nicolas Sarkozy said last month France would "not send a single soldier more". On Monday, Britain confirmed it was sending 500 more troops, taking the UK's total deployment there to 10,000.
In Berlin, Chancellor Angela Merkel told a news conference on Tuesday Germany would wait until after a 28 January conference in London on Afghanistan before deciding on any troop increases.