Bush likely to endorse Afghan army expansion

Washington: The Bush administration, in the midst of a wide review of its war strategy in Afghanistan, is likely to recommend soon to the incoming Obama administration that the US push for further expansion of the Afghan army as the surest path to an eventual US withdrawal.

It is too late in President George W. Bush's tenure for a major change of direction in Afghanistan.

Still, the White House wants to produce a kind of road map for the next administration, not just in terms of military effort but also in other areas like integrating US and international civilian and military aid.

The strategy review, which began in September amid increasing militant violence and a growing US and allied death toll, is being coordinated at the White House and is expected to be presented by December.