Afghanistan: U.S. Prepares for Possible Spring Offensive

A renewed U.S. offensive in Afghanistan is possible when spring arrives. While spring 2005 would seem more ideal as far as political constraints are concerned, the U.S. Army continues to prepare for the possibility of such a mission this year. However — due to weather concerns and an ongoing troop rotation — the ideal military conditions for a full-scale offensive in the Afghan-Pakistani hinterlands will not exist until late April 2004 at the earliest.