U.S. Considers Afghanistan Troop "Surge"

Reports surfaced yesterday that U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates is considering a proposal to deploy an additional force of about 3,000 Marines to Afghanistan in the spring. Gates is expected to review the proposal at the end of this week, but it is unclear as of yet whether he will approve the measure.

The possibility of sending new U.S. troops to Afghanistan is in large part a response to requests from military commanders for additional forces to fight a resurging Taliban that is expected to renew offensive activity after the winter passes. The United States has repeatedly asked its NATO allies to provide additional forces, but thus far the alliance's member states have proven reluctant to heed U.S. requests. Several NATO states insist they are contributing as much as they can, although many countries place restrictions on their troops that hinder effective military action in Afghanistan's most troubled provinces. The NATO web site says, "NATO is a key component of the international community's engagement in Afghanistan, assisting the Afghan authorities in providing security and stability, paving the way for reconstruction and effective governance."

Unofficial defense reports indicate that the deployment of additional U.S. forces would be limited to around seven months and would help both train the Afghan Army and provide additional military power to combat an expected increase in violence in the spring. In addition to the gains made by the Taliban in the south of Afghanistan, much attention has been paid to the troubled area along the Afghan-Pakistan border. Greg Bruno, writing in an analysis for The Council on Foreign Relations, says the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan with a lot of help from elements within neighboring Pakistan.

In a backgrounder published late last year, Jayshree Bajoria of the Council on Foreign Relations says Pakistan has had a hand in fostering extremism in Afghanistan: "Following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, Pakistan's then military ruler Zia ul-Haq promoted the jihad in Afghanistan...."

NATO assumed command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) more than four years ago. According to a fact sheet published by the alliance, "ISAF's role is to assist the Government of Afghanistan and the International Community in maintaining security within its area of operation." The force, which is operating under a United Nations mandate, numbers around 41,000 troops from nearly 40 contributing nations. The Afghan Army is expected to reach a strength of around 70,000 during the next year.

Sources: Council on Foreign Relations Backgrounder, NATO web site, Council on Foreign Relations Analysis, NATO Fact Sheet