The hidden surge; plus: war support slipping?

The LA Times reports that duties of support units in Afghanistan will be contracted out, allowing 14,000 non-combat personnel to be replaced by 14,000 "trigger-pullers". This increases military presence without increasing the number of deployed troops.

The move would beef up the combat force in the country without increasing the overall number of U.S. troops, a contentious issue as public support for the war slips.

Is public support for the war slipping? The article does not provide any supporting data for this. Judging from what I read and hear, Afghanistan is largely on auto-pilot as far as the majority of Americans are concerned. The populace hopes things go well. News of Iraq and Afghanistan has largely faded since the November 2008 elections.