WAR

Pushback on Afghan Troops

Dem. senators want Afghanistan to shoulder bigger load.

Is this Iraq, take two? Senate Democrats are warning the White House that further requests for troops in Afghanistan, which seem likely, will be met with resistance in Congress. So far, President Barack Obama has boosted troop levels by 21,000 as violence has spiked. Lawmakers say they are hoping that the Afghan army and police can be trained and equipped quickly enough to make the security situation their own problem. "There are a lot of ways to speed up the numbers and capabilities of the Afghan army and police. They are strongly motivated," Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) said from Kuwait. "I think that we should pursue that course... before we consider a further increase in combat forces beyond what's already been planned to be sent in the months ahead."