The vanguard is expected to be the swift deployment of 9,000 Marines into some of the most areas. This means the Taliban strongholds in southern Afghanistan, including Kandahar and Helmand.

Obama also called on all US allies, especially the NATO forces, to offer their firm support to bring the mission in Afghanistan to a success.

Barack Obama, US President, said, "Because it's international efforts the US commitment be joined by allies."

The new strategy also includes an accelerated withdrawal timetable. Some US soldiers will start heading back home as early as July 2011. This represents a faster exit timetable than any of the options presented to the president during the three-month review of Afghan policy.

Obama defended his decision and promised any pullout would be done responsibly.

Many US troops in Afghanistan back the president.

Lance Troy Lockhart, US Military Officer in Afghanistan, said, "There's definitely a need for security and there's definitely a need for more troops in Afghanistan. Just getting back myself. Definitely would have helped to have a lot more people on hand, especially infantry units. "

30 billion US dollars are needed to fund the troop surge, pushing the cost of military operations in Afghanistan to nearly 95 billion for this fiscal year. That's a third more than the 61 billion to be spent in the same period on the war in Iraq.