US details Afghan reinforcements

Afghanistan has become a US foreign policy priority

The US hopes to get three out of four combat brigades requested by the army into Afghanistan by the summer, Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said.

Correspondents say his comments are the most specific to date on how the US will meet a pledge by President Bush to deploy 20,000 more troops.

Mr Gates is in Afghanistan to meet commanders on the ground.

He said Washington wanted to get thousands more troops into Afghanistan despite "operational difficulties".

Continuity

"We are going to try and get two additional brigade combat teams into Afghanistan by summer time," Mr Gates said.

"How long it will be before we can get the others, we don't know yet."

The history of foreign military forces in Afghanistan... has not been a happy one Robert Gates

Officials say that the two brigades - each comprising 3,500 men - are in addition to another that is already scheduled to deploy in January.

The BBC's diplomatic correspondent says that part of Mr Gates' message is to signal to allies and enemies alike that as far as policy in Washington is concerned, continuity will be the order of the day.

Nonetheless, our correspondent says that there is a growing sense of urgency about the US mission in Afghanistan and its operation there is set to grow in scope and scale - which in turn will increase pressure on other troop contributors to reinforce their own contingents.

Mr Gates said the incoming administration of Barack Obama should "be careful" in pledging a build-up of troops in a country that has often proved difficult terrain for foreign forces.

"The history of foreign military forces in Afghanistan, when they have been regarded by the Afghans as there for their own interests and as occupiers, has not been a happy one," he said.

"The Soviets couldn't win in Afghanistan with 120,000 troops and they clearly didn't care about civilian casualties. So I think we have to think about the longer term in this," he said.

"Making sure the Afghans are out in front is a key element, but also figuring out how many foreign troops is too many in terms of being successful," Gates said. "I think that is still an unanswered question."

Mr Gates said it was important that the administration of President-elect Obama built up the Afghan army and co-operates more effectively with the Afghan government on security operations.

"I think there's a concern on the part of some of the Afghans that we sort of tell them what we're going to do, instead of taking proposals to them and getting their input and then working out with them what we're going to do.

"I think we need a course correction," he said.