Wire: Obama to Announce More Troops, Civilian Forces for Afghanistan War

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, March 26, 2009 -- President Barack Obama plans to deploy additional U.S. troops plus a force of hundreds of civilian advisers to the war in Afghanistan. Obama will also recommend increasing aid to neighboring Pakistan people familiar with the forthcoming plan said Thursday, according to wire reports.

The Associated Press reported that Obama plans to lay out his revamped strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan on Friday.

Several sources told AP the plan includes 20 recommendations for countering the insurgency that spans the two countries' border.

AP reported:

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs would not discuss specifics of the plan, but said Obama is beginning to discuss its findings with members of Congress and others. Obama's top military advisers briefed key lawmakers Thursday.

In broad terms, Obama will define U.S. objectives as eliminating the threat from al-Qaida to undermine or topple U.S.-backed elected governments or to launch attacks on the United States, its interests and allies, the sources said.

Sources described the recommendations on condition of anonymity because the final wording was not complete. The new plan identified al-Qaida as the target in a larger network of insurgents who threaten U.S. and allied forces in Afghanistan, often from sanctuaries across the border in Pakistan.

AP also reported that defense officials said the additional troops will be devoted to training and advising Afghan forces. The latest additions would deploy to Afghanistan this spring and summer on top of about 17,000 combat and support troops Obama wants in place by the end of the summer.

(Report from a commercial news source.)

Source: More US troops for Afghan war

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