The United States is inserting more Army Special Forces detachments into opposition-controlled areas of Afghanistan to assist opposition forces with supply support and to enhance targeting of Taliban militia troops for coalition-led airstrikes, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says.

"We're going to be adding people [in order] to have a reasonable cluster of American Special Forces who are able to be in there, serve as liaison, assist with the communication, assist with the targeting, assist with the resupply," Rumsfeld said November 1 in a Pentagon briefing.

Earlier efforts to place more Special Forces detachments in areas controlled by the Northern Alliance and some other opposition forces were inhibited by poor weather conditions, ground fire from Taliban militia when helicopter insertions were attempted, and the need to find more suitable landing zones, he said. "We're cocked and ready to go," the secretary said.

Rumsfeld also said that the U.S.-led coalition has "made measurable progress" since military operations in Afghanistan began October 7.

"We are now fighting a new kind of war. It is unlike any America has ever fought before," he said. But he stressed that there will not be "instant victory."

The task is to root out global terrorist networks, not just in Afghanistan where the Taliban militia has provided a haven for al-Qaida, he said. "This is a task that will take time to accomplish. Victory will require that every element of American influence and power be engaged."

Rumsfeld said that since October 7 "coalition forces have flown over 2,000 sorties, broadcast 300-plus hours of radio transmissions, delivered an amazing 1,030,000 humanitarian rations to starving Afghans."

"Today is November 1, and smoke -- at this very moment -- is still rising from the ruins of the World Trade Center," he said.

Some questions had arisen over the security of neighboring Pakistan's nuclear stockpile and if the al-Qaida terrorist network might be attempting to obtain nuclear weapons or technical bomb-making knowledge, but Rumsfeld said November 1 that there had been no compromise of Pakistan's nuclear armaments. He said the Pakistan government has been very attentive to that issue.

Air Force General Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also said during the Pentagon briefing that the entire air campaign over Afghanistan has been without constraint and meticulously developed.

Rumsfeld said the air campaign has been conducted in specific stages:

-- the first stage was to clear out Taliban air defenses and aircraft;

-- the second was to target military command and control centers, airports and airfields; and

-- the third is to target Taliban militia forces opposing the Northern Alliance and other opposition forces in Afghanistan.

Now that the United States has begun placing more Special Forces teams on the ground to aid in the targeting process, Rumsfeld said, targeting will take on even more importance and precision.