President Obama has announced the sending of 17,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan. The current U.S. committment is 36,000 troops, so this represents a massive esculation. The President is also expected to pressure allies such as Canada and Australia to lift there military contributions as well.
All this comes at a time of increasing civilian deaths in Afghanistan from Coalition Air strikes. The war is also destabilising the new democratic government in Pakistan by continually undermining Pakstani Sovereignty. Since the election of Obama deadly attacks by pilotless Predator drones from within Afghanistan and Pakistan on Pakistan territory along the border have caused outrage in Pakistan.
All of this is supposedly the new "smart" power of U.S. Imperialism under the new adminstration which wishes to refocus the War on Terror on Afghanistan and Pakistan away from Iraq. Despite the supposed "refocus" we are yet to see any significant troop withdrawals from Iraq.
In Australia's latest contribution to peace in Afghanistan - Diggers killed 5 children in their battle against Taliban militants.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25052191-31477,00.html
Also see an interesting article below from the World Socialist Website on the issue
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2009/feb2009/afgh-f19.shtml