Afghanistan to get bigger army

Afghanistan is pushing to increase the size of its own army, and fast.

The country plans to train 2,000 new soldiers every month, the Afghan defence minister said Tuesday. He expects to have an army of 70,000 troops in less than two years.

He was originally hoping to hit that number in 2010 or 2011.

"We have accelerated our program," Abdul Rahim Wardak said at a press conference at the Pentagon in Washington.

"The formula for success in Afghanistan is to enable the Afghan forces to defend the Afghan people."

Wardak said he wants a better trained and better equipped army. He is developing programs to recruit officers and retain existing personnel. He wants NATO to help him achieve his goals.

"We are encouraging NATO members to play a great role," he said.

U.S. Lt.-Gen. Karl Eikenberry, who joined Wardak at the press conference, said international forces want a strengthened Afghan army, as well as a stronger Afghan police force.

He said this would benefit the Afghan people, but it would also be less costly for the United States and its allies.

Eikenberry, commander of the combined forces in Afghanistan,could not say specifically what equipment and training international forces will provide, as final decisions are still being made.

He did give some examples, like armoured trucks, helicopters and even helmets and body armour.

"These are very basic needs, but they are important," he said.

Wardak said the army needs fire power, protected trucks and air transportation, which is necessary for travelling across Afghanistan's mountainous terrain.

Pilot project in Helmand

Wardak also fielded questions about why Afghanistan has allowed local people, not foreign troops, to oversee security in a district of Helmand province.

Wardak said it's a pilot project. Elders and tribal chiefs in the community wanted to take care of security and reopen schools. He said these leaders are not warlords and should have the best interest of the community in mind.

"We were working under the assumption that it was a good move because it ensures participation of the people," Wardak said. "But at the moment, we are watching that very carefully."

He said the Afghan government will assert itself in the district if evidence arises that the pilot project is not working as planned.