More foreign troops into Afghanistan. T…
More foreign troops into Afghanistan.
Thousands of foreign fighters have poured into Afghanistan to bolster the Taliban insurgency, the country’s defense minister said Saturday as he called for more international troops.
The remarks come as the U.S. debates whether to substantially increase its forces in Afghanistan or to conduct a more limited campaign focused on targeting al-Qaida figures — most of whom are believed to be in neighboring Pakistan.
The minister’s comments hit on a key worry of the United States — that not sending enough troops to Afghanistan will open the door back up to al-Qaida. They also suggest that the Afghan government is nervous about the U.S. commitment amid talk of changing the strategy and a surge in violence in recent months.