US ‘requires more troops’ in Afghanistan

Although the Obama administration ordered the recent addition of 17,000 US troops to Afghanistan, military commanders still say forces are not sufficient.

The New York Times said Sunday that four commanders in Afghanistan made the remarks in a meeting with President Barack Obama’s chief envoy Richard Holbrooke.

While the additional US troops have had some benefit in the south, the numbers remain below what commanders need, according to the commanders.

The total number of the US force in Afghanistan is currently about 62000, according to AFP figures.

It was unclear if the commanders told Holbrooke exactly how many additional troops might be required, the paper said.

The assessment comes as the top US commander in the country, General Stanley McChrystal, has been working to complete a major war strategy review.