US official says a troop increase is certain under new Afghan plan

October 26th, 2009 Kerry: US can't narrow Afghanistan missionWASHINGTON — Sen. John Kerry warns that a major U.S.

October 21st, 2009 US signals Afghan coalition government is possibleWASHINGTON — The United States built pressure on Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Wednesday, signaling that a troop increase could hinge on a successful runoff election and that the Obama administration would be receptive to a power-sharing deal between Karzai and his chief rival. A coalition government or other political arrangement that included Karzai's rival, former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah, could provide a critical internal check on Karzai, who is widely favored to win the presidential runoff set for Nov.

October 21st, 2009 US pressures Karzai; troop increase option in playWASHINGTON — The United States built pressure on Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Wednesday, signaling that a troop increase could hinge on a successful runoff election and that the Obama administration would be receptive to a power-sharing deal between Karzai and his chief rival. A coalition government or other political arrangement that included Karzai's rival, former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah, could provide a critical internal check on Karzai, who is widely favored to win the presidential runoff set for Nov.

October 20th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The Pentagon said Tuesday it will send three brigades and a squadron of MV-22 Ospreys aircraft to Afghanistan as part of a regular troop-rotation plan. The deployment includes two active duty army brigades totaling 7,700 troops and a National Guard brigade with 3,500 troops, the Pentagon said on its website.

October 18th, 2009 White House official says Afghan government is keyWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's chief of staff says the central issue that must be settled before the president makes a decision about troop levels in Afghanistan is whether there is a credible government in Kabul. Rahm Emanuel says the White House plans to have additional strategy sessions on Afghanistan this week and next week.

October 1st, 2009 Council split complicates Obama's Afghan decisionWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is confronting a split among his closest advisers on Afghanistan, reflecting divisions in his own party over whether to send in thousands more U.S. troops and complicating his efforts to adopt a war policy he can sell to a public grown weary of the 8-year-old conflict.

September 30th, 2009 AP source: Obama makes no decisions on Afghan warWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has heard from his top national security officials about their next step forward with Afghanistan but has not made any decisions. A senior administration official says Obama spent three hours in the White House Situation Room on Wednesday and pushed his team for specifics and details.

September 30th, 2009 UK can play only small role in Afghan troop surgeBRIGHTON, England — Britain's defense secretary said Monday that the U.K. has only limited scope to send more troops to Afghanistan, despite calls from military leaders to support U.S.

September 15th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The United States will likely need to send more troops to Afghanistan, the US' top military commander said Tuesday. Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a Senate committee that more US troops are needed to train Afghan forces to maintain security.

September 11th, 2009 Dem senator steps up pressure on Afghanistan warWASHINGTON — The Senate Armed Services chairman is adding to the growing pressure on President Barack Obama to resist escalating the war in Afghanistan, saying Friday the U.S. should instead train more Afghan security forces.

July 30th, 2009 Spain ready to boost Afghan troopsMADRID — Spain is prepared to boost its long-term troop presence in Afghanistan if conditions there require it, a Spanish official said Thursday. A government spokesman speaking on customary condition of anonymity said Spain's permanent presence could be elevated from 780 troops to 1,000 after elections in August.

July 27th, 2009 NZ signals likely to raise Afghanistan troop levelWELLINGTON, New Zealand — Prime Minister John Key gave a strong signal Monday that New Zealand likely will increase its troop levels in Afghanistan — with a decision on any fresh commitment by mid-August. He also restated New Zealand's desire for an "exit strategy" for its troops, with its 140-member provincial reconstruction team currently committed until September 2010.

July 2nd, 2009 Obama to reassess US troop levels in AfghanistanWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama tells The Associated Press that he will reassess the possible need for additional U.S. troops in Afghanistan after the Afghan national elections in August.

May 8th, 2009 AP source: First Obama Afghan surge troops arriveWASHINGTON — 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.

March 27th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama plans to increase troop levels in Afghanistan by an additional 4,000 soldiers in a move to expand the fight against Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants, US news reports said. Ahead of the White House unveiling its new Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy Friday, the Washington Post and CNN reported that on top of the 17,000 additional combat troops already authorised, 4,000 more would be deployed later this year to serve as advisers to the Afghan army.