WASHINGTON — Soon after Barack Obama is sworn in as president, he will face a crucial decision about the future of the war in Afghanistan: what to do with thousands of new U.S. troops that will flow into the country over the course of the year.
Within the Pentagon, a vigorous debate has emerged about what the top priority should be for those forces.
Some Defense officials argue that the bulk of the build-up should be arrayed along the border with Pakistan, focusing on the fight with militants who move easily back and forth across the rugged terrain.
But others, including Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, who is now the top commander of those troops, want to see the U.S. take a page out of the Iraq playbook, making Afghan cities and towns their top priority to help protect civilians from Taliban extremists and other militants.
The strategic choices made in Obama's first months could determine whether U.S. forces are able to curb the rising number of attacks there.
The new administration is planning an in-depth Afghanistan review as soon as it takes office; Obama has made clear his intention to focus on Afghan security, and his advisors say they are open to hearing from advocates on both sides.
But Obama is going to have to act fast to improve the situation in Afghanistan, military experts say. The Afghan public is growing more frustrated in the face of rising violence, and increasing numbers of Americans believe the war in Afghanistan is going badly.
Officers agree that any strategy will have to include a mix of population security and border control, in addition to training the Afghan police and army. But the question for the new administration will be: What should get top priority?
There are about 32,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, with an additional 20,000 scheduled to deploy this year. Current plans call for sending some of the additional forces to the border, but to use the majority of the new troops to safeguard villages and cities.
"There is a primacy on securing the population," said Army Maj. Gen. Michael S. Tucker, director of operations for U.S. Forces-Afghanistan. "The approach is to reach out to the population, get into the villages, and separate them from the insurgency."
But behind the scenes, not everyone agrees. Experts with opposing views spoke on condition of anonymity, citing their lack of authority to publicly address an internal debate. Obama advisors also spoke on condition of anonymity because he doesn't take office until Jan. 20.
