General: far more US troops needed in Afghanistan

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates hands over the Multi-National Force Iraq flag Gen. Ray Odierno while outgoing commander Gen. David Petraeus looks on during a Change of Command ceremony at camp Victory in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008. David Petraeus, the American general who presided over Iraq's pullback from the brink of all-out civil war, relinquished his command Tuesday to Gen. Ray Odierno. (AP Photo/Dusan Vranic, Pool)

KABUL, Afghanistan—Even after an extra U.S. Army brigade joins the fight against the insurgency here in January, three times that many reinforcements will be needed shortly thereafter, the highest-ranking U.S. general here said Tuesday.

Gen. David McKiernan, commander of NATO-led international forces in Afghanistan, told reporters traveling with Defense Secretary Robert Gates that the brigade arriving in January is an urgent requirement based on an assessment that fighting in eastern Afghanistan is tougher than believed six months ago.

"There are an additional three brigade combat teams" that have been validated by the Pentagon as a requirement, McKiernan said. He would not say exactly how many extra soldiers that entails, but said that it was more than 10,000 -- beyond the roughly 3,700 in reinforcements that are scheduled to arrive in January.

There currently are about 33,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan and about 146,000 in Iraq.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- The commander of international forces in Afghanistan says that in addition to the Army combat brigade that President Bush is sending as a reinforcement in January, there is a need for three additional brigades in 2009.

It had previously been known that U.S. commanders in Afghanistan saw a need for a total of three reinforcement brigades -- not four.

Gen. David McKiernan told reporters at his headquarters in the Afghan capital that Bush's decision to replace a Marine unit this fall and to send a brigade of the Army's 10th Mountain Division in January is a good start on meeting his troop requirements. But he said he also needs another three Army brigades.

That is the first time the general has made clear that such a large additional force is needed to fight the insurgency here.