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US 'adds 30,000 to Afghan troops' US 'adds 30,000 to Afghan troops'
(41 minutes later)
President Barack Obama is to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan and deploy them within six months, US officials have said.President Barack Obama is to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan and deploy them within six months, US officials have said.
Mr Obama will make the much-anticipated announcement as part of a speech to the nation at West Point military academy.Mr Obama will make the much-anticipated announcement as part of a speech to the nation at West Point military academy.
He is also expected to lay out a rough timeframe for how long the main US military mission will last. Officials in Brussels say Mr Obama is also asking Nato allies to provide up to 10,000 extra troops.
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.
The new troops are expected to focus on tackling the Taliban in the volatile southern and eastern parts of Afghanistan. The additional American soldiers are expected to focus on tackling the Taliban in volatile southern and eastern Afghanistan.
Mr Obama's prime-time speech to the nation on Tuesday comes amid growing domestic concern over the eight-year-old Afghan war. Allaying fears
MARDELL'S AMERICA It is all part of the choreography, the idea the UK has an Afghan strategy separate from the US is fanciful class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markmardell/2009/11/the_ball_is_rolling_obamas.html">Read Mark's thoughts in full President Obama is also expected to lay out a rough timeframe for how long the main US military mission will last.
The BBC's Paul Adams in Washington says Mr Obama's speech will seek to allay fears that this is an open-ended mission. His prime-time speech to the nation on Tuesday comes amid growing domestic concern over the eight-year-old Afghan war.
The BBC's Paul Adams in Washington says Mr Obama will seek to allay fears that this could be an open-ended mission.
For all the sense of deeper engagement, this speech will also be about how the US president intends to get out of Afghanistan, our correspondent adds.For all the sense of deeper engagement, this speech will also be about how the US president intends to get out of Afghanistan, our correspondent adds.
Both the rise in foreign troop deaths and the chaos that followed August's discredited elections in Afghanistan have fanned mounting American opposition to the mission.Both the rise in foreign troop deaths and the chaos that followed August's discredited elections in Afghanistan have fanned mounting American opposition to the mission.
Earlier this year, however, the US military commander in Afghanistan, Gen Stanley McChrystal, warned that America risked failure in Afghanistan unless troop numbers were increased.Earlier this year, however, the US military commander in Afghanistan, Gen Stanley McChrystal, warned that America risked failure in Afghanistan unless troop numbers were increased.
He requested 40,000 more soldiers.He requested 40,000 more soldiers.
Mr Obama has reached his decision after weeks of deliberating and 10 top-level meetings advisers. Mr Obama has reached his decision after 10 top-level meetings advisers held over several weeks.
The US president has briefed Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai on the new military strategy.The US president has briefed Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai on the new military strategy.
European allies An unnamed Nato diplomat told AP news agency on Tuesday that President Obama is asking European members of the military alliance to contribute between 5,000 and 10,000 new troops to Afghanistan.
Angela Merkel said she would make no decision on troops before January
On Monday, Britain confirmed it was sending 500 more troops to Afghanistan, taking the UK's total deployment there to 10,000.On Monday, Britain confirmed it was sending 500 more troops to Afghanistan, taking the UK's total deployment there to 10,000.
Italy has also said it will increase its force, but without saying by how many.
But President Nicolas Sarkozy said last month that France - which has about 3,400 troops in Afghanistan - would "not send a single soldier more".
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.
"We hear the wishes of the United States but we will not decide in the coming days, but after the conference," she said.
Germany currently has around 4,300 troops in northern Afghanistan, the third largest contributor to the international force in the country.