US Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced a temporary US troop surge in Afghanistan on Monday. The surge will see an increase of 22,000 US troops over the next three years.
“The announcement is unrelated to any future considerations for additional troops in Afghanistan. This is strictly about the fact that the Army is under considerable stress as it is now,” Geoff Morell, spokesman for Secretary Gates, said.
The recent increase, which follows a permanent increase of 65,000 troops, “will be used to ensure that our deploying units are properly manned and not to create new combat formations,” Secretary Gates said at the Pentagon Monday.
With this increase, total US troops in Afghanistan jumps from 547,000 soldiers to 569,000.
“This is an important and necessary step to ensure that we continue to properly support the needs of our commanders in the field while providing relief for our current force and their families,” Gates added.
Ariel Goldring
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