A spokesman for U.S. President Barack Obama says a decision on how many additional troops will be sent to Afghanistan will be made shortly.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters Monday aboard Air Force One that the decision will be made within days and not weeks.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters last week that the president will have several options before him.
The U.S. commander in Afghanistan, General David McKiernan, has requested up to 30,000 additional troops, including combat and aviation brigades, to join U.S. military units already in the country.
There are currently about 60,000 foreign soldiers in Afghanistan, most of them part of the International Security Assistance Force.
The Obama administration has ordered a review of U.S. policy in Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan, to consider new ways to root out terrorist havens and how to battle insurgents more effectively.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters
