Talk Radio News Service: News, Politics, Media

The problem in Afghanistan is urgent, said Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell, but not so urgent that the U.S. combat reserves in Kuwait are being considered for deployment there.

"Yes there are problems in Afghanistan, there are pockets of problems that we are concerned about and we are determined to get the commanders the troops they need to address them. But the situation is not precarious, it is not urgent, the sky is not falling in Afghanistan," he said speaking to the Pentagon press corps. He added that Central Command has decided to hold the strategic combat reserve in the event of other contingencies in the region should they arise. Morrell declined to specify, but the U.S. faces many potential conflicts in the region, including Iran, which Morrell described as "hell bent" on obtaining nuclear weapons and capabilities.

Additionally Pakistan has recently been highlighted by the Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates as having a porous border with Afghanistan. Gates discussed the issue of foreign militants crossing into Afghanistan from Pakistan, after a U.S. outpost was attacked near the border region earlier this month. The new government of Pakistan is struggling to provide internal defense from terrorist groups, while at the same time bolster a failing economy and control lawless northern territories. Morrell spoke about the slow progress of reimbursement measures, which repay the Pakistani military for actions taken against mutual threats on behalf of the coalition. "Those reimbursements are taking an awful long time to get back to the Pakistani government," he said.

In advance of a congressional hearing scheduled for July 30, investigating electrocution deaths of U.S. soldiers on Iraq in relation to work done by military contractors, Morrell explained the Defense Department's position.

"There seems to be a misperception out there that our facilities in that theater are replete with electrical hazards, that have caused hundreds of fires and multiple fatalities. What's more, some seem to believe that this department and one of the Army's lead logistical support contractors are so negligent and callous that we have failed to address these dangers. I am here to tell you that is flat out wrong." He went on to explain that while 16 soldiers have died in Iraq in electrical accidents, more than half have died from loose electrical wiring outside of bases and improperly grounded generators.