A recent study revealed that Afghan civilian casualties spiked by 40 percent last year.

Some say the surge in violence could cause civilians to turn against U.S. forces, but it's also possible the country will turn against the Taliban instead.

That turn of events would help the 30,000 troops already stationed in Afghanistan and the 17,000 more troops President Obama approved, Tuesday, to send to the area.

Click play for more on this with counterterrorism expert, Daveed Gartenstein-Ross.

The first units will deploy this Spring and Summer from the U.S. Army's 5th Stryker Brigade combat team out of Fort Lewis, Wash., and the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade from Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Even more troops are expected to arrive later in the year.

The move by Obama will put several thousand troops in place for the increase in fighting that usually occurs during warmer months.

It would also be ahead of Afghan elections in August.