U.S. defense sources said the proposal is part of a plan for an expanded offensive against Al Qaida and affiliated terrorist organizations.

"Iraq is starting to get monotonous," laughed Secretary Rumsfeld. "We need some fresh turf to fight on so our troops don't get too bored. New scenery to destroy always perks up the soldiers on the ground."

Over the last six months, the Pentagon has increased the U.S. military presence along the Iraqi-Syrian border to halt the flow of Islamic insurgents into Iraq. U.S. officials said American troops and helicopters have fought the insurgents along the Syrian border and in several cases entered Syrian air space and territory.

Next week, U.S. troops are scheduled to launch an exercise with Kenya's military in the Red Sea, Middle East Newsline reported. U.S. defense sources said the exercise could mark the start of the U.S. military strike against Somalia, regarded as a key base for Al Qaida.

Separately, The London-based A-Sharq Al Awsat reported on Wednesday that a proposal has been submitted to Rumsfeld to expand special operations forces and send them to destroy insurgency strongholds along the Lebanese-Syrian border.

The newspaper reported that the proposal was the result of the secretary's decision to expand the U.S. war against Al Qaida and its allies. The Saudi-owned newspaper quoted U.S. sources as saying the first step being mulled by Rumsfeld is for a U.S. military attack on Al Qaida strongholds in Somalia as early as this month.