This Issue:

Table of Contents

Cover Story

Cover Story - Spanish Version

Mini-Lesson

Comprehension Quiz

Teacher's Guide and Worksheets

A Call For More Troops

More than 31,000 U.S. troops are serving in Afghanistan. That number may soon go up, Defense Department officials said last week.

After terrorists attacked the U.S. on September 11, 2001, the U.S. and other nations invaded Afghanistan. The country was controlled by the Taliban (tah-lee-bahn), a group that enforces an extremely strict version of Islam. The Taliban also provided shelter and training grounds for the terrorist group al-Qaeda (al kye-dah) and its leader, Osama bin Laden.

The troops removed the Taliban from power. But bin Laden has not been captured.

Although there has been progress in Afghanistan, the Taliban and terrorists are making a strong comeback there. Al-Qaeda gives money to the Taliban. This year, violence in the country reached its highest levels since 2001.

In October, the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, General David McKiernan, warned that the situation "might get worse before it gets better." He has asked for 15,000 more U.S. troops "as quickly as possible."

On the campaign trail, both John McCain and Barack Obama vowed to win the war in Afghanistan. Each said that, if elected, he would send additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan to stop the spread of terrorism.

Next: A Festival of Lights