But Lee Smith's new book concludes that diminishing the American presence in the Middle East at this moment could create dangerous new instabilities that could worsen,not improve, the prospects for peace in the region.

VOA: standard.2010.03.18

Some 100,000 U.S.and NATO troops are currently in Afghanistan, but increasingly casualty figures and concerns about a growing Taliban threat and an ineffective and corrupt Afghan government have led to diminishing public support for the war.

VOA: standard.2009.11.13