国际英语新闻:Gates: Additional troops for Afghanistan still possible
WASHINGTON, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates hinted Thursday that it's still possible for Washington to send additional troops to Afghanistan beyond what President Barack Obama has promised.
However, there'll be no formal request for additional troops from a review compiled by Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, which is due to come out in the coming weeks, Gates told a Pentagon briefing.
Gates said U.S. military leaders in Washington want McChrystal "to ask for what he thinks he needs."
![]() |
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates speaks during a briefing the at Pentagon, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009 |
But he also made it clear that the McChrystal report will not contain any specific recommendations for increases in troops.
The Obama administration expects the report to be completed between Afghanistan's Aug. 20 presidential election and a NATO meeting in September.
The Obama administration is in the process of an Afghan buildup that will push U.S. troop levels there to a record 68,000 by year end, but it is still undecided on whether to send additional troops beyond that.
There are reports that McChrystal and other U.S. commanders in Afghanistan are inclined to ask for more troops due to the escalated war.
The U.S. war effort in Afghanistan is costing about 4 billion U.S. dollars a month.
相关文章
- 欧美文化:Macron visits Berlin on first foreign trip after re-election
- 欧美文化:Ukrainian president, Swedish PM discuss defense support for Ukraine over phone
- 欧美文化:Two suspects arrested for killing 3 Israelis in stabbing attack
- 欧美文化:UN chief calls for end to "cycle of death, destruction" in Ukraine
- 欧美文化:U.S. secretary of state tests positive for COVID-19
- 欧美文化:Hungary "can't support" EU's new sanctions against Russia in current form:
- 欧美文化:Oil prices jump as EU aims for Russian oil ban
- 欧美文化:U.S. Fed on track for half-point rate hike as recession fears grow
- 欧美文化:Uzbek president appoints new acting foreign minister
- 欧美文化:Ukrainian, EU leaders discuss further support for Kiev