▁ ▁October ▁ ▁In ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁the ▁Washington ▁Post ▁ran ▁an ▁editor ial ▁by ▁former ▁Navy ▁Secretary ▁John ▁Le h man : ▁▁ ▁On ▁October ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁the ▁top ▁American ▁general ▁in ▁Afghan istan , ▁David ▁McK ier nan , ▁war ned ▁that ▁the ▁situation ▁in ▁Afghan istan ▁could ▁get ▁a ▁lot ▁worse . ▁The ▁international ▁forces ▁within ▁Afghan istan ▁have ▁not ▁been ▁able ▁to ▁hold ▁territory ▁they ▁have ▁cleared ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁troops . ▁For ▁this ▁reason ▁the ▁general ▁called ▁for ▁an ▁extra ▁three ▁combat ▁brig ades ▁( rough ly ▁ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁troops ). ▁Without ▁this ▁ur gent ▁r ush ▁of ▁troops ▁the ▁Tal ib an ▁would ▁be ▁able ▁to ▁get ▁back ▁into ▁the ▁communities ▁that ▁were ▁once ▁cleared ▁by ▁international ▁troops . ▁The ▁general ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁say ▁that ▁things ▁could ▁get ▁a ▁lot ▁worse ▁before ▁they ▁get ▁better . ▁ ▁On ▁October ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁a ▁sus pected ▁U . S . ▁dr one ▁fired ▁a ▁miss ile ▁against ▁milit ants ▁inside ▁Pakistan ' s ▁North - West ▁Front ier ▁Province ▁near ▁the ▁Afghan ▁border . ▁It ▁is ▁believed ▁that ▁six ▁people ▁died ▁in ▁the ▁incident . ▁Att acks ▁of ▁such ▁have ▁drawn ▁a ▁st iff ▁response ▁from ▁Islam abad , ▁acc using ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁of ▁viol ating ▁their ▁air space . ▁ ▁November ▁ ▁December ▁ ▁December ▁ 1 1 : ▁start ▁of