On the military side, the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Democrat Carl Levin, says the plan calls for an extra 4,000 US trainers to work with the Afghan armed forces.

VOA: standard.2009.03.26

Meanwhile, on Wednesday the US Senate armed services committee delayed a vote on the confirmation of former Senator Chuck Hagel as defence secretary.

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In the US Senate, Mr Lieberman is a member of the powerful Armed Services Committee, the Environment and Public Works Committee, the Small Business Committee, and the Governmental Affairs Committee.

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