US President Barack Obama A senior White House official says U.S. President Barack Obama iscalling on his national security team to revise the options for theU.S. war strategy in Afghanistan.  

Mr. Obama asked for thechanges Wednesday during the latest review of his Afghanistan policy. The official says the president wants his advisors to determine how andwhen U.S. troops can hand over security responsibility to the Afghangovernment. Administration officials say Mr. Obama wants to make clearto Afghan President Hamid Karzai that the U.S. commitment inAfghanistan is not "open-ended."

The president's call forrevisions comes as the U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Karl Eikenberry,has expressed serious reservations about sending additional troops tothe country.

Officials say Eikenberry sent two classified cablesto Washington last week expressing doubts about Mr. Karzai'sleadership. The Afghan president has been blamed for allowing rampantcorruption under his watch.

A spokesman for the U.S. Embassy inKabul refused to comment on the memos. The spokesman tells VOA thatAmbassador Eikenberry anticipates the Afghan people will "come toexpect more from their government," including "clean and competentleadership."

Eikenberry served as the commander of U.S. troopsin Afghanistan in 2006 and 2007. He became ambassador to Afghanistanearlier this year after retiring from the military.

His positionputs him in stark opposition to General Stanley McChrystal, thecommander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, who has requested40,000 more troops - which would boost the U.S. commitment inAfghanistan to more than 100,000 troops.

The White House hassaid Mr. Obama is considering four options, including one that wouldsend 10,000 to 15,000 additional troops, and one that would comply withGeneral McChrystal's request.

The president is not expected toannounce a final decision until after he returns from a nine-day tripto Asia that begins Thursday.


Some information for this report was provided by AP.