30K New Troops, 3-Year Timeframe

The guessing game is just about over: President Obama will announce on Tuesday that he plans to send 30,000 new combat troops to Afghanistan. According to CNN, Obama wants most U.S. troops withdrawn within three years, while Associated Press reports that the first new troops will arrive as early as Christmas. 4,000 additional troops will be sent in an advisory role. The president will reportedly present a "time frame" for a U.S. exit from Afghanistan in his speech tonight, and senior Administration officials have said that "he will talk about specific dates" for withdrawal.