Washington, October 15: The White House has denied a BBC report which said US President Barack Obama would approve sending 45,000 more troops to Afghanistan.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said on Wednesday that President Obama has not decided on the number of extra forces for Afghanistan.
Gibbs, however, noted that the bottom line is that withdrawing troops from Afghanistan is not an option.
“The president has been clear to say, we’re not leaving Afghanistan,” said Gibbs.
The Obama administration is considering a request from top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, for more combat, training and support troops, with several options including one for 40,000 more soldiers.
Earlier on Wednesday, the US president held a three-hour session on Afghanistan with his national security teams. The meeting focused on efforts by the US and its allies to strengthen the “civilian mission within Afghanistan.”
Five such meetings have been held and another meeting is scheduled for next week.
“I don’t know how many weeks we are away from a decision,” Gibbs said. “I’d say several weeks.”
The US has spent billion of dollars for the highly unpopular war in Afghanistan but has been unable to curb rising militancy or arrest any key militant leaders.
A new report has indicated that the United States spends about $3.6 billion a month in Afghanistan since the beginning of the US-led invasion of the country in 2001.
The Congressional Research Service reported on Wednesday that the average cost per month is calculated based on an average 51,000 US troops in Afghanistan.
The cost is likely to go higher with the 68,000 troops the Obama administration has already deployed to Afghanistan. It also could double if President Obama supports McChrystal’s request for the additional troops.
Despite the presence of over 100,000 US and NATO ‘boots on the ground’, the escalated militancy has made the current year the deadliest yet for foreign forces, as well as for Afghan civilians.
—–Agencies