Afghanistan Troop Increase

Looks like Iraq isn't the only place that needs new troops.

"President Bush said today that extending the stay of 3,200 American troops in Afghanistan would help the NATO-commanded force there combat an anticipated spring offensive by the Taliban. Mr. Bush said the those troops would remain there for another four months and then would be replaced by new force of comparable size that would remain there for the “foreseeable future.” The increase would boost American forces in the country to 27,000, the highest level since 2001."

Well, at least NATO is providing the majority of the troops - at least the burden doesn't follow solely on the Americans.

"Of the 35,000 NATO troops in Afghanistan, about 13,000 are American. About 9,000 other American troops in the country operate outside the NATO mission."

Whoops.

article from the New York Times

Bring in the Neo-Cons

From the New York Times:

"The number of waivers granted to Army recruits with criminal backgrounds has grown about 65 percent in the last three years, increasing to 8,129 in 2006 from 4,918 in 2003, Department of Defense records show... [Sample crimes] include aggravated assault, burglary, robbery and vehicular homicide."

Nice. I am all for second chances and priorly maladapted personalities that are now knee-deep in reform, but this strikes me as somewhat bleak. If there's anywhere in the world that a strong moral compass would go a long way, it's Iraq. God forbid an ex-felon has a brief relapse - another Abu-Ghraib and that'll probably be it for America in the Middle East for the next ten years.

article from the New York Times