The son of one of six Italian soldiers killed in Afghanistan last week during a funeral service in Rome
General Stanley McChrystal
Pentagon and Obama to consider troops when strategy defined
* McChrystal warns without more troops mission could fail
* Karzai, U.N. welcome McChrystal's assessment
The Pentagon has told its top commander in Afghanistan not to ask for extra troops until the Obama administration completes a strategy review, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Army General Stanley McChrystal, the top commander of U.S and NATO forces in Afghanistan, warned in a confidential assessment leaked to the media on Monday that without additional troops the mission "will likely result in failure".
Want General McChrystal wants?
McChrystal's troop request, which some officials anticipate would include roughly 30,000 new combat troops and trainers, is expected to be submitted to Washington in the coming weeks.
McChrystal claims that without more troops, the U.S. and allies could lose the war. By the end of the year, the U.S. troops will have a record 68,000 troops in Afghanistan, working alongside 38,000 NATO-led forces.
There are already more than 100,000 foreign soldiers in Afghanistan battling an insurgency that has taken control of parts of the south and east of the country in what has so far been the deadliest year for foreign troops since 2001.
McChrystal's assessment comes at a critical time for Afghanistan, when the war is at its deadliest since it started in 2001 and as Afghans await delayed presidential election results while thousands of complaints and accusations of fraud against incumbent Hamid Karzai are audited by a U.N.-backed watchdog.
Obama White house responds. ?
Robert Gates, the Defence Secretary, says publicly that he is persuaded by General McChrystal’s arguments for more troops. Privately, he remains sceptical. So do senior White House officials who advise the President on security. One told The Times recently: “No one can put in enough troops for a comprehensive military win, but we’re not trying to build a 51st state of the union. Our goal is to deny al-Qaeda a base.” He added: “There are enough troops, if co-ordinated with reconstruction and government, that we can be irreversible in terms of whether the population is going to swing to the Taleban or not.”
President obama only going to decide , when the real strategy and targets are established by General McCyrstall. Obama will ask some hard questions to the general. Then only he will decided.
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