The US Defence Department is rushing additional intelligence and reconnaissance capabilities including the most advanced drones in Afghanistan in view of the deteriorating security situation in the region. "Even as President Obama weighs the best way ahead in Afghanistan,(Defense) Secretary (Robert) Gates is working to ensure that this department continues to do everything possible to provide our men and women in uniform with the very best protection and capabilities to defeat the growing IED threat," Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell told reporters at his daily press briefing. "To name a few,additional intelligence,surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities,including the most advanced drones and new platforms,such as the MC-12,are either in theater or on their way," he said,adding that last month Gates had ordered nearly 3,000 enablers including additional route clearance and explosive ordnance disposal teams into the troubled country. "MRAPs designed specifically for Afghanistan's rugged terrain,the MATVs,are being delivered by air as far as we can get them off the factory floor with hundreds due to be fielded to our war-fighters by year's end," he said. He said even with these additional resources,there will be many difficult and dangerous days ahead for US forces and also for the journalists who cover them as well. Besides Obama and Mullen,other attendees to the seventh Situation Room meeting are expected to be Vice President Joe Biden,Secretary of Defence Robert Gates,Gen (retd.) James Jones; General James E Cartwright,USMC,Vice Chairman,Joint Chiefs of Staff; General George W Casey,Chief of Staff of the Army; General James T Conway,Commandant,US Marine Corps; Admiral Gary Roughead,Chief of Naval Operations and Gen Norton A Schwartz,Chief of Staff of the US Air Force. Meanwhile,the Republicans continue to urge Obama to accept the recommendations of General Stanley McChrystal,Commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan,to send an additional 40,000 troops to the country. "Take his recommendation if you want to win,if you want to do what the administration talked about earlier this year. If Afghanistan is the central front for the war on terror and we want to win there and we can win there,then let's do what it takes to win and that's follow Gen McChrystal's recommendations," Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter told the CNN in an interview. However,the Democratic lawmakers insisted that Obama must be given an opportunity to listen to all the views. "I do think a President,a Commander-in-Chief,has to look at not just what his general tells him for Afghanistan,but he has to look at the whole of the national security fabric," said Congressman Joe Sestak. "I am supportive of a measure to increase,but I'm supportive of a measured increase for one goal - the eradication of the al-Qaeda safe haven in Pakistan. There's no more al-Qaeda in Afghanistan," he said.
