Michigan Senator Carl Levin is calling for more U.S. support for Afghanistan's security forces.
He's chairman of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee - which is charged with overseeing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Levin said the answer to Afghanistan's woes is not sending in more U.S. troops - but instead helping Afghanistan train and equip its own security forces.
"We've obviously got a challenge in Afghanistan," said Levin. "But... it's a challenge which can be met. Our commanders feel that way, the Afghan people feel that way. They clearly hate the Taliban that they had to suffer under for many years. They have an army in Afghanistan which is the most supported institution in the country from the people's point of view. They like their army."
According to Levin, the Afghan army isn't big enough. He said it will need to expand if the country is ever going to take responsibility for its own security.
"Right now, the timeline is for them (the Afghan Army) to reach 130,000 by 2010," he said. "And... the new timeline is likely to be for the army to reach 240,000 by 2013. And we're hoping to push that up by a year if we can."
Part of the problem in Afghanistan is one of that country's neighbors: Pakistan, said Levin.
"They've been a problem. They still are, because they've got a border with Afghanistan which is an open border in many places," said Levin. "They've got the insurgents that have safe haven in a number of areas of Pakistan and they go to there. And then they come across the border, attack our forces and the Afghan forces, and then run back across the border."
Pakistan has made some progress in clearing out insurgent strongholds, said Levin.
But he says some safe-havens still remain - and as long as they do, they will pose a threat to both Pakistan and Afghanistan.
He's chairman of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee - which is charged with overseeing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Levin said the answer to Afghanistan's woes is not sending in more U.S. troops - but instead helping Afghanistan train and equip its own security forces.
"We've obviously got a challenge in Afghanistan," said Levin. "But... it's a challenge which can be met. Our commanders feel that way, the Afghan people feel that way. They clearly hate the Taliban that they had to suffer under for many years. They have an army in Afghanistan which is the most supported institution in the country from the people's point of view. They like their army."
According to Levin, the Afghan army isn't big enough. He said it will need to expand if the country is ever going to take responsibility for its own security.
"Right now, the timeline is for them (the Afghan Army) to reach 130,000 by 2010," he said. "And... the new timeline is likely to be for the army to reach 240,000 by 2013. And we're hoping to push that up by a year if we can."
Part of the problem in Afghanistan is one of that country's neighbors: Pakistan, said Levin.
"They've been a problem. They still are, because they've got a border with Afghanistan which is an open border in many places," said Levin. "They've got the insurgents that have safe haven in a number of areas of Pakistan and they go to there. And then they come across the border, attack our forces and the Afghan forces, and then run back across the border."
Pakistan has made some progress in clearing out insurgent strongholds, said Levin.
But he says some safe-havens still remain - and as long as they do, they will pose a threat to both Pakistan and Afghanistan.
