(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-01-10 09:55

When Gates was in Afghanistan last month, commanders made it clear they needed the additional forces.

Last year was the most violent since the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. The number of attacks has surged, including roadside bombings and suicide assaults.

Currently there are about 27,000 US troops in Afghanistan, including 14,000 with the NATO-led coalition. The other 13,000 US troops are training the Afghan forces and hunting al-Qaida terrorists.

Morrell said that while the Marine ground and air contingent would be put in place to prevent a spring Taliban offensive, the Marine battalion likely would be used to train Afghan forces.

The shift in US thinking on sending more combat forces to Afghanistan has appeared inevitable in recent weeks, based on the political realities in many of the NATO nations.

In meeting after meeting during his Afghanistan visit in early December, Gates heard pleas from both Afghan and US military leaders for up to 7,500 more forces, with about half needed for training.

About a week later, Gates was asked by a reporter after a NATO meeting in Scotland whether the Bush administration was considering sending more troops to Afghanistan, in the event that the shortfalls are not bridged by NATO allies. Gates replied, "Not in the short term."

But by Dec. 21, Gates acknowledged during a press briefing that the Pentagon would "be looking at the requirement ourselves."

Bush administration officials pressed NATO allies for months to fill gaps in troops levels in Afghanistan, but many allied governments face public opposition to deeper involvement there.

Gates said at the Scotland meeting that the administration had decided to tone down its appeals to allies, taking into account "political realities" faced by some European governments whose citizens may see less reason to intervene in Afghanistan.

The Bush administration has launched a wide-ranging review of its policy in Afghanistan to ensure that gains made since the Taliban regime was ousted in 2001 are not lost and to bolster Afghan President Hamid Karzai's nascent government.

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