U.S. official: Al-Qaeda plotting new attacks against U.S.

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While the cost of Obama's new operations in Afghanistan are expected to rise 60 percent from the current $2 billion a month. "New U.S. Afghan strategy focuses on Qaeda: officials," from Reuters, March 26:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's new Afghan strategy will focus on destroying safe havens in Afghanistan and Pakistan where Osama bin Laden and other al Qaeda leaders are plotting new attacks on the United States, U.S. officials said on Thursday.
As part of the strategy, the United States will deploy 4,000 military trainers to Afghanistan by this autumn to build up Afghan armed forces to the point they are able to take the lead in military operations, officials said.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity before the president's announcement of the policy on Friday, said the cost of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan was expected to rise 60 percent from the current $2 billion a month.