Army General Tommy Franks, head of Central Command, says that US troops will remain in Afghanistan for a very long time, both to help stabilize the country and to hunt down any terrorists who try to move back in and set up bases. Franks noted that the US has had troops in Germany and Korea for half a century because the need for troops in those areas remains. The US currently has about 8,000 military personnel in Afghanistan, including combat infantry, aviation, engineer, and support types.--Stephen V Cole