A U.S. Troop Surge Now Being Considered For Afganistan

The Pentagon is considering a plan to send over 3000 more U.S. soldiers to Afganistan this spring in a troop surge to fend off Al Qaeda and the Taliban. The move would be to counter an anticipated spring offensive that is usually mounted in a joint effort by both the Taliban and Al Qaeda each year when the weather warms up and the winter begins to thaw. Some of the troops would be sent directly into combat to take on the enemy outright in the south of the country while others would be involved in training Afgan soldiers and police. Secretary of Defense Gates came up with the plan after a U.S. request for more troops from our N.A.T.O. allies fell on deaf ears. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Michael Mullen, has described U.S. military success in Afganistan in the past year overall as "uneven".