among those who took part in Monday 's conference with Obama and other top advisers , which broke up at 10 p.m. Vice President Joe Biden , Defense Secretary Robert Gates , Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen and Karl Eikenberry , the U.S. ambassador in Kabul , were among the other senior officials in the meeting . Obama said Tuesday that the deliberations have been `` comprehensive and extremely useful . '' `` It 's going to be important to recognize that in order for us to succeed there , you 've got to have a comprehensive strategy that includes civilian and diplomatic efforts , '' he said at a news conference Tuesday with visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh . The military has planning under way to send these units : three U.S. Army brigades , totaling about 15,000 troops ; a Marine brigade with about 8,000 troops ; a headquarters element of about 7,000 ; and between 4,000 and 5,000 support troops -- a total of approximately 34,000 troops , according to a defense official with direct knowledge of Pentagon operations . CNN reported last month that this was the preferred option within the Pentagon
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Pentagon is making detailed plans to send about 34,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan in anticipation of President Obama 's decision on the future of the eight-year-old war , a defense official said Tuesday . Obama held a lengthy meeting with top advisers Monday night and said Tuesday that he would announce plans for Afghanistan after the Thanksgiving holiday . A Defense Department official with direct knowledge of the process said there has been no final word on the president 's decision . But planners have been tasked with preparing to send 34,000 additional American troops into battle with the expectation that is the number Obama is leaning toward approving , the official said . Obama ordered more than 20,000 additional troops to Afghanistan in March . Gen. Stanley McChrystal , the U.S. commander in Afghanistan , reportedly has called for up to 40,000 more to wage a counterinsurgency campaign against the Taliban , the Islamic militia originally ousted by the U.S. invasion in 2001 . The president has weighed several options for bolstering the American contingent , ranging from sending a few thousand troops to sending the 40,000 McChrystal requested . McChrystal was