Chinooks to Stay in Afghanistan Six Months Longer Than Scheduled

The United States will keep its helicopters, Boeing CH-47s specifically, in Kandahar, Afghanistan an additional six months because no other ally has stepped forward, said Defense Secretary Robert Gates at a meeting of alliance defense ministers. He said that some offers of assistance had been made to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) but not enough to meet current requirements. Several countries, according to Gates, are removing their restrictions on the use of their forces, making it possible for commanders to deploy them to more hostile areas. There are 40,000 soldiers assigned to the ISAF. For related news