U.S. weighs thousands more troops for Afghan war: paper

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Pentagon is considering sending up to 7,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan next year to make up for a shortfall in contributions from NATO allies, the New York Times reported on Saturday.

The increase would likely result in "the re-Americanization" of the war, one U.S. official said, according to the Times. U.S. forces would then account for two-thirds of foreign troops in Afghanistan, it said.

The report appeared a day after Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the United States could consider taking over NATO's command in southern Afghanistan, where some NATO allies have been reluctant to provide combat forces.

Southern Afghanistan, site of the worst in a surge of Taliban violence, is now under NATO command. Britain, Canada, the Netherlands and Australia all have forces in the region.

"This is a matter that's going to be looked at over probably some period of time primarily because it requires consultation with our allies," Gates told reporters when asked to comment on discussion at the Pentagon about the possibility of taking over command in southern Afghanistan.

"It certainly is worth taking a look at," he added during a visit to the Red River Army Depot in Texarkana, Texas.

REDUCTION IN IRAQ

Citing unnamed Bush administration officials, the Times said sending up to 7,000 additional troops would increase U.S. forces in Afghanistan to some 40,000, the highest level since the United States invaded the country in 2001 and toppled the Taliban government after the September 11 attacks.

The increase would require a reduction in troop levels in Iraq by at least a modest amount, and planning for it began in recent weeks, the newspaper said.