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WASHINGTON, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Head of U.S. Central Command Joseph Votel said on Thursday that the Pentagon would need additional forces in Afghanistan to break a stalemate in the country.
"We are developing a strategy and we are in discussions with the secretary (of defense) and the department right now," Votel told lawmakers here at a hearing. "I do believe it will involve additional forces to ensure that we can make the advise and assist mission more effective."
Votel did not reveal how many more troops would be needed to break the stalemate in America's longest war. However, at another congressional hearing back in February, top U.S. commander in Afghanistan John Nicholson told lawmakers that a few thousand more troops are needed there to break the stalemate between Afghan forces and the Taliban.
"We have a shortfall of a few thousand," Nicholson said. "This is in the NATO train-advise-and-assist mission, so this can come from the U.S. and its allies."
Currently, there are about 8,400 U.S. troops and another 5,000 NATO forces on the ground in Afghanistan with a dual mission of training, assisting Afghan forces against the Taliban and conducting counterterrorism missions.
