Article snippet: Seeking to end a stalemate with the the Pentagon has drafted proposals for a slight increase in the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, as well as expanded authority to help Afghan security forces fight the group, according to a U.S. official. NATO meeting. The proposals are the result of a comprehensive administration review of the U.S. strategy for Afghanistan, where the United States now has 8,400 troops. More than 2,000 of them are involved in a counterterrorism mission against ISIS and al-Qaeda; the majority are part of a NATO mission that trains, advises and assists Afghan security forces in their fight against the Taliban insurgency. There are an additional 5,000 forces from NATO countries assisting with the mission. Asked at an Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in February to describe the fight against Taliban forces, Army Gen. John Nicholson responded, "I believe we're in a stalemate." He added that he needed more troops from the United States or NATO countries to train, advise and assist the mission, saying, "We have a shortfall of a few thousand." The proposals could lead to the addition of 1,000 to 3,000 U.S. troops to the existing forces, according to the U.S. official. NATO partners will be requested to provide a similar number of personnel. The number of additional U.S. personnel will likely depend on how many troops are committed by NATO countries. Additional troop levels will likely be a topic of discussion at the May 25 N... Link to the full article to read more