While defending the massive planned escalation of American forces into Afghanistan in an interview today with ABC television, Admiral Michael Mullen reiterated his prediction that 2009 will top the already record levels of unrest seen in 2008.

“I look forward to a very active year,” Mullen said, adding “I want to be clear that my expectations are as we add more troops, the violence level in Afghanistan is going to go up.” That seems an odd preface to what wound up being his support for adding more troops.

Mullen had previously made a similar prediction in October of last year, while defending the Bush Administration’s “new” strategy for Afghanistan (which has since been replaced by Obama’s “new” strategy for Afghanistan). Earlier this year, he proclaimed that the situation in Afghanistan was “much more complex” than America’s failed war in Vietnam.

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