Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told lawmakers that more U.S. soldiers and Marines could head to Afghanistan by late spring or early summer, to bolster NATO forces who face increasing challenges by Taliban efforts to reestablish their presence. Speaking before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Jan. 27, Gates said, "It is . . . clear that we have not had enough troops to provide a baseline level of security in some of the most dangerous areas – a vacuum that increasingly has been filled by the Taliban." Ultimately, Gates said, success in Afghanistan depends upon the emergence of the Afghan army to the point where it can repel terrorist forces without outside help.