The commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan planned to offer options for policymakers to try to stem Taliban gains, including sending up to 30,000 to 40,000 additional combat troops and trainers, according to defense and congressional officials.
General Stanley McChrystal hand-delivered his long-awaited request for more troops to U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen and NATO”s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Admiral James Stavridis, on Friday.
But the White House has said it wants to review the entire strategy for the war before considering McChrystal”s request.
Pentagon officials said the contents of the request were confidential. But they described the document as analytical, containing not only the commander”s recommendations but also troop level options and an assessment of the risks associated with each option.
Speaking on ABC”s “This Week” on Sunday, Senator John McCain, who was the Republican presidential candidate in 2008, urged President Barack Obama to choose the option of sending 30,000 to 40,000 troops, a range administration and congressional officials said was at the top end of McChrystal”s request.
