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| Obama 'to detail Afghan end-game' | Obama 'to detail Afghan end-game' |
| (39 minutes later) | |
| President Barack Obama is expected to announce that US forces will begin handing over to Afghan security forces by mid-2011, as part of an exit plan. | President Barack Obama is expected to announce that US forces will begin handing over to Afghan security forces by mid-2011, as part of an exit plan. |
| In a much-anticipated speech to the nation within hours, he is also set to unveil a rapid deployment of 30,000 fresh troops over six months. | In a much-anticipated speech to the nation within hours, he is also set to unveil a rapid deployment of 30,000 fresh troops over six months. |
| But Mr Obama will not give a pullout date; officials say that will depend on conditions on the ground at the time. | But Mr Obama will not give a pullout date; officials say that will depend on conditions on the ground at the time. |
| The administration's sense of urgency is palpable, says our correspondent. | The administration's sense of urgency is palpable, says our correspondent. |
| In Tuesday evening's address at West Point military academy, Mr Obama is expected to make an accelerated troop surge the centrepiece of his new strategy for Afghanistan. | In Tuesday evening's address at West Point military academy, Mr Obama is expected to make an accelerated troop surge the centrepiece of his new strategy for Afghanistan. |
| 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 full | 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 full |
| The BBC's Paul Adams in Washington says that according to officials the transfer of security responsibility to the Afghans will start from July 2011, allowing US forces to begin leaving. | The BBC's Paul Adams in Washington says that according to officials the transfer of security responsibility to the Afghans will start from July 2011, allowing US forces to begin leaving. |
| But the US president will not say how long this process will take, as it will be dictated by the situation in Afghanistan, say administration officials. | But the US president will not say how long this process will take, as it will be dictated by the situation in Afghanistan, say administration officials. |
| The US currently has 68,000 troops in Afghanistan, with foreign forces overall totalling more than 100,000. | The US currently has 68,000 troops in Afghanistan, with foreign forces overall totalling more than 100,000. |
| A senior Pentagon official told the BBC the new troops, to be deployed by next summer, would be made up of 9,000 Marines and 21,000 regular soldiers, including trainers. | A senior Pentagon official told the BBC the new troops, to be deployed by next summer, would be made up of 9,000 Marines and 21,000 regular soldiers, including trainers. |
| Mr Obama has reached his deployment decision after more than three months of deliberations and 10 top-level meetings with advisers. | Mr Obama has reached his deployment decision after more than three months of deliberations and 10 top-level meetings with advisers. |
| 'Quick punch' | 'Quick punch' |
| Rising violence - more than 900 US soldiers have died in Afghanistan - and August's discredited elections have fanned mounting domestic opposition to the eight-year-old war. | Rising violence - more than 900 US soldiers have died in Afghanistan - and August's discredited elections have fanned mounting domestic 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 Afghanistan | 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 Afghanistan |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 outlined his new strategy to Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai in an hour-long video conference on Tuesday morning. | The US president outlined his new strategy to Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai in an hour-long video conference on Tuesday morning. |
| 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. |
| French refusal | French refusal |
| 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, our correspondent says. | 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, our correspondent says. |
| France said it might be able to spare some personnel to train Afghan forces | France said it might be able to spare some personnel to train Afghan forces |
| Nato officials said on Tuesday that President Obama had asked European allies to contribute between 5,000 and 10,000 new troops to Afghanistan. | Nato officials said on Tuesday that President Obama had asked European allies to contribute between 5,000 and 10,000 new troops to Afghanistan. |
| But President Nicolas Sarkozy has ruled out deploying more soldiers, although he might send military trainers, his special envoy to Afghanistan told AFP news agency. | But President Nicolas Sarkozy has ruled out deploying more soldiers, although he might send military trainers, his special envoy to Afghanistan told AFP news agency. |
| 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. | 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. |
| On Monday, Britain confirmed it was sending 500 more troops, taking the UK's total deployment to 10,000. | |
| 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. |