Defense Secretary Bob Gates has announced the US support for doubling the Afghan army to 120,000 troops in the next five years, a plan initially proposed by the Afghan government. The plan will require about $20 Billion dollars, which will mostly be paid by the US, but there will be some assistance from other NATO nations, and also involves a more streamlined commandment restructuring, putting US 4 star Gen. David McKiernan in charge of most of the forces facing heavy combat along the Afghan/Pakistan border, making coordination easier for the American, Canadian, British, and Dutch troops fighting there. Both of these measures no doubt attempt to address the rising power of the insurgency. The US plans on sending 2 more brigades to the region next year, about 6,000-10,000 troops. A larger Afghan army will be helpful in quelling the insurgency and bringing security and stability to regions of the nation, but more importantly the army must be strong, trained, and willing.
Here is a picture slide show of displaced Afghans affected by the ongoing instability of their nation.
Changing topics, we have covered President Bush's remarks about human rights in China so I should provide for you his latest speech, this one his first in Beijing. Bush continued to criticize the nation for its human and religious rights violations, but also profusely praised it for its progress.
On a more somber note, a group calling itself the Turkestan Islamic Party, most likely the ETIM, claimed credit for two bus bombings in July and warned of terrorist attacks during the upcoming Olympics in a recent video. In the Uighur language, the spokesman on the video stated; "We, members of the Turkestan Islamic Party, have declared war against China. We oppose China's occupation of our homeland of East Turkestan, which is a part of the Islamic world."
Just by these two stories one can see the country of China is diverse in its problems, but it obviously also has much to offer the world as we see during these next two weeks. Here is Fareed Zakaria's piece advocating a more nuanced view of China's rising power, calling it a ‘complicated country.’
Enjoy the Opening Ceremonies and have a great weekend!
(Photos: New York Times: Above – Afghan troops in Wardak Province Below – Beijing, Opening Ceremony)
