WASHINGTON, Feb 14 (Reuters) - A U.S. Army brigade scheduled to deploy to Iraq will now go to Afghanistan to maintain higher troop levels intended to boost operations against the Taliban, the Pentagon said on Wednesday. The 173rd Airborne Brigade, based in Vicenza, Italy, will replace another brigade that had its tour of duty extended last month to bolster Afghanistan's NATO-led security force ahead of an expected spring offensive by Taliban militants. The Pentagon said the brigade of about 3,200 troops would deploy in the spring. The decision will keep two U.S. combat brigades in Afghanistan, where 2006 was the bloodiest year since U.S.-led forces ousted the Taliban in 2001. "Two U.S. brigade combat teams in Afghanistan provide military capability and combat power required for NATO to continue its initiatives in promoting stability and security in the winter and spring, while denying safe haven for the Taliban," a Pentagon statement said. There are some 27,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. About 15,000 are in the NATO force while the rest conduct missions ranging from counter-terrorism to training Afghan forces. Last month, the U.S. Army's 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, which was close to the end of a year-long deployment in Afghanistan, was ordered to stay up to four months longer. As another brigade had already arrived to replace the 10th Mountain Division unit, that move doubled the number of U.S. combat brigades in Afghanistan. That level of U.S. military commitment will be maintained, with the 173rd Airborne Brigade taking over from the Mountain Division troops when they depart. The Pentagon said a unit to go to Iraq in place of 173rd Airborne Brigade would be announced once it had been alerted.
