Gates Says Afghan Plan Will Mix Various Proposals.

President Obama hopes to combine the best elements from among the several proposals he is studying on sending additional troops to Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said on Thursday. ''I would say it was more, how can we combine some of the best features of several of the options to maximum good effect?'' Mr. Gates told reporters.. ''So there is a little more work to do, but I think we're getting toward the end of the process.'' [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]