US' Gates to back expansion of Afghan army-report

WASHINGTON, Aug 7 (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates will endorse a $20 billion five-year plan to substantially expand Afghanistan's army, The New York Times reported on Thursday, citing senior Pentagon and military officials.

Under a plan initially proposed by the Afghan government and now endorsed by Gates, the Afghan National Army would nearly double in size over the next five years to more than 120,000 active-duty troops, the newspaper said.

Pentagon officials said Gates would seek contributions from allies to help underwrite the $20 billion cost, according to the report.

The Times said the aid plan was described by officials as an attempt to increase NATO and Afghan capabilities in advance of deploying additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan.

Additional U.S. brigades are unlikely to be available until next year, the report said.

A Pentagon spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

Gates also will restructure the military command of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan in response to the growing threat from Taliban forces, The New York Times reported, citing senior Pentagon and military officials.

The newspaper said under an order Gates is expected to sign before the end of August, U.S. Army Gen. David McKiernan, who leads the 45,000-member NATO force, would be given command of most of the 19,000 American troops who have operated separately.

(Writing by Joanne Allen, editing by Vicki Allen)