AP source: Vanguard of Obama’s 21,000 Afghan surge have arrived in Afghanistan

AP source: First Obama Afghan surge troops arrive

WASHINGTON — Pentagon officials say the vanguard of President Barack Obama’s troop surge in Afghanistan arrived this week.

Dozens of Marines who arrived in Kandahar as advance units represent the first group of soldiers deployed as a direct result of Obama’s decision to expand U.S. military operations. Military officials spoke on condition of anonymity to describe troop movements.

Larger waves of Marines are coming in the next few weeks. Defense Secretary Robert Gates saw some of the fresh arrivals Thursday during a visit to U.S. military installations in southern Afghanistan.