It appears that this total includes perhaps 100 commandos, but is largely made up of communications experts, helicopter maintenance crews, security forces and other support personnel.
Others supported force but thought that by dislodging Iraq from Kuwait we would neutralize the threat.
The U.S. and European nations have already begun providing weapons and other support to Peshmerga forces, the KRG's de facto army -- they should help pay for water pumps and medical supplies as well.
Consisting of two infantry battalions as well as armour, aviation, artillery and other support arms, the task force was assigned primary responsibility for its own area and was based at Nui Dat, in Phuoc Tuy Province.
Many American forces will remain involved in logistics, training Iraqi forces and other support missions.
The number, Mr. Panetta said, will be based on how many forces are needed for counterterrorism — that is, in commando raids like the one that killed Osama bin Laden — as well as for training and providing air transport and other support to the Afghan security forces.
He added that "the timetable, by the end of 2014, is the right timetable for us to be completely withdrawn from Afghanistan, other than a small footprint of support forces".
But Mr. Romney also said in a primary debate that the end of 2014 "was the right timetable for us to be completely withdrawn from Afghanistan, other than a small footprint of support forces".
"The timetable by the end of 2014 is the right timetable for us to be completely withdrawn from Afghanistan, other than a small footprint of support forces," he said during a November debate.
Even after the withdrawal of the surge forces — an initial 30,000 plus 3,000 other support troops — the American presence in Afghanistan will be a considerable force of 68,000.
