Gates admits shortfall in US troops for Afghanistan

Gates admits shortfall in US troops for Afghanistan (NSI News Source Info) September 28, 2008: The head of the US Department of Defense has acknowledged that the country does not have enough troops available to meet a standing request to send additional combat brigades to Afghanistan. US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates told Senators on 23 September that the Pentagon could not immediately meet the requirement for forces set by General David McKiernan, the commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force. "Without changing deployment patterns, without changing the length of tours, we do not have the forces to send three additional brigade combat teams at this point," he said. "My view is that those forces will become available probably during the spring and summer of 2009." President George W Bush on 9 September announced a small - and gradual - reduction in forces from Iraq. That withdrawal will enable a shift of around 4,500 troops to Afghanistan, but still falls short of a request from Gen McKiernan, who has sought at least three additional combat brigades for Afghanistan.