(NSI News Source Info) February 11, 2009: US military chief Adm Mike Mullen says more American troops are needed urgently in Afghanistan.
Adm Mullen, who chairs the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said time was of the essence.
Speaking in Canada - a Nato ally - he said it was not enough to clear areas of Taliban insurgents, but territory had to be held.
President Barack Obama is expected to announce soon how many extra US troops would be sent to Afghanistan, and has called for Nato reinforcements.
Adm Mullen said extra troops had to be deployed urgently.+and+Dutch+Prime+Minister+Jan+Peter+Balkenende.jpg)
Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai (C) and Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende (R) inspect the guard of honor during their meeting in Kabul February 10, 2009.
"We've got to have enough forces in there to hold (territory), which we haven't had in the past."
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said President Obama is likely to decide on boosting troops in Afghanistan in "the next few days".
Military officials say some 20-30,000 troops could be deployed in 2009.
Correspondents say the security situation in Afghanistan - and the fight against Taleban insurgents there - is one of the incoming US administration's foreign policy priorities. 
Afghan police inspect the carter created by an explosion near a U.S military base in Khost, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2009. A bomb struck a NATO convoy in eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday, killing two soldiers and wounding one, a spokesman for the alliance said. Police spokesman Wazir Pacha said the attack in Khost province was carried out by a suicide bomber in a vehicle.
There are currently about 60,000 foreign soldiers in Afghanistan - most of them are part of the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf).
The troops include about 33,000 US soldiers and some 28,000 Nato forces from 40 countries
Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai (C) and Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende (R) inspect the guard of honor during their meeting in Kabul February 10, 2009.
"We've got to have enough forces in there to hold (territory), which we haven't had in the past."
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said President Obama is likely to decide on boosting troops in Afghanistan in "the next few days".
Military officials say some 20-30,000 troops could be deployed in 2009.
Correspondents say the security situation in Afghanistan - and the fight against Taleban insurgents there - is one of the incoming US administration's foreign policy priorities. Afghan police inspect the carter created by an explosion near a U.S military base in Khost, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2009. A bomb struck a NATO convoy in eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday, killing two soldiers and wounding one, a spokesman for the alliance said. Police spokesman Wazir Pacha said the attack in Khost province was carried out by a suicide bomber in a vehicle.
There are currently about 60,000 foreign soldiers in Afghanistan - most of them are part of the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf).
The troops include about 33,000 US soldiers and some 28,000 Nato forces from 40 countries
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