Defense chief says U.S. plans to beef up Afghanistan force

ZAGREB, Croatia -- The United States intends to send many more combat forces to Afghanistan next year, regardless of whether troop levels in Iraq are cut further this year, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday.

President Bush promised NATO allies at a summit that ended in Bucharest, Romania, on Friday that the United States would increase forces in Afghanistan next year in an effort to assure partners of Washington's commitment to the campaign.

U.S. officials had previously said the foreign force of 59,000 soldiers, including 31,000 Americans, was insufficient. Bush told a NATO session that included Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Thursday that the nation was committed to winning the war in Afghanistan and would be even after he leaves office in January. His vow came as European allies agreed to supply nearly 2,500 more troops themselves to join 3,500 additional U.S. Marines sent by Bush.

Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in Washington on Wednesday that the U.S. and allied forces in Afghanistan need to add as many as 7,500 soldiers and 3,000 military trainers, in the view of NATO commanders.

Gates said he would like to wait until after the additional 3,500 U.S. Marines in Afghanistan return home to decide on 2009 troop levels.

As NATO leaders completed their third and final day of meetings in Romania, tensions with Russia rumbled through the gathering. But, in one area of rapprochement, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow would allow flights of nonmilitary cargo destined for Afghanistan to fly through Russian airspace.

However, Putin told a post-summit news conference that he had taken issue during his closed-door meeting with NATO leaders with their decision to support a U.S. plan to deploy a missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic, two countries formerly dominated by Russia.

He also objected to the alliance's declaration that Ukraine and Georgia, once part of the Soviet Union, would become members of NATO at some point. Putin said the admission of Ukraine and Georgia would be seen in Moscow "as a direct threat" to Russian security.

Putin criticized Bush's pledge that neither the expansion of NATO nor the deployment of the missile system is directed at Russia.

"National security is not built on promises," Putin said.

Bush is expected to dine today with Putin in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi, and hold a final series of meetings with him on Sunday before the Russian president leaves office on May 7. Putin's successor, Dmitri Medvedev, will join the talks.

Compiled from Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post and The Associated Press reports