Gates Contemplates Changes to Afghanistan Strategy

LONDON — Defense Secretary Gates says the Bush administration is considering possible changes in its war strategy in Afghanistan in light of rising levels of violence and a more complex insurgent threat.

Mr. Gates made the remark to reporters in advance of a NATO meeting at which he said he would be raising the issue of how to pay for a planned doubling in the size of the Afghan national army. He called the building up of the Afghan army the ultimate exit strategy for both America and its allies.

Mr. Gates was not explicit about the nature of the American strategy review. When pressed by reporters, he would say only that the administration is "looking at" the current strategy. And he alluded to the fact that when the situation in Iraq deteriorated, the administration did a review and came up with a new strategy.