U.S. troop surge in Afghanistan

Nation & World News

U.S. troop surge in Afghanistan

The U.S. is sending about 20,000 more troops to Afghanistan to assist NATO forces in combating Taliban forces.

U.S. Marines, from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, patrol in the town of Garmser in Helmand Province of Afghanistan.

U.S. soldiers wait for a flight at the airfield in Kandahar province south of Kabul, Afghanistan.

An Afghan child aims with his toy gun at an effigy of Israel's President Shimon Peres which is hanged during a demonstration against the Israeli aggression on Gaza, in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Friday, Jan. 2, 2009. Thousands of Afghans condemned the Israeli aggression on Gaza in Afghanistan.

U.S. Marines return from patrolling nearby villages during Operation Backstop in Helmand province south of Kabul, Afghanistan. The U.S. will be sending about 20,000 more troops to the region to help NATO troops quell Taliban forces.

An Afghan soldier takes position with a new machine gun M- 249 which will be distributed to Afghan soldiers during a training course at the Kandahar airfield south of Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Dec. 29, 2008. Approximately 70, 000 Afghan soldiers have passed through the U.S. military-backed initial training camp as the country works toward a goal of reaching over 130, 000 soldiers.

A U.S. soldier waits for her flight at the airfield in Kandahar province south of Kabul.

A Marine with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, mans an M249 squad automatic weapon in Helmand province south of Kabul, Afghanistan.

U.S. soldiers wait for flight at the airfield in Kandahar province south of Kabul, Afghanistan.

A U.S. Marine holds onto a parachute attached to a supply of water and food dropped by a C-130 cargo transport aircraft during Operation Backstop in Helmand province south of Kabul, Afghanistan. In what amounts to an Afghan version of the surge in Iraq, the U.S. is preparing to pour at least 20,000 extra troops into the south, augmenting 12,500 NATO soldiers who have proved too few to cope with a Taliban insurgency that is fiercer than NATO leaders expected.

1/9

U.S. Marines, from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, patrol in the town of Garmser in Helmand Province of Afghanistan.

Today's Gallery Headlines

Region 5AA Championship : Holy Innocents vs. KIPP Atlanta

PHOTOS: Holy Innocents wins Region 5AA Championship in basketball

aajc 021926 state vs. georgia southern hoops

PHOTOS: Georgia State gets by Georgia Southern

Trump visits North Georgia today but has eyes on Atlanta

PHOTOS: Trump visits Georgia, revisits 2020 election

New UGA track facility

PHOTOS: Georgia track and field gets major facilities upgrade