BRUSSELS, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- U.S. military commanders in Afghanistan briefed top defense officials on the progress of the war effort there ahead of a NATO meeting next week.
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, received an update on the situation in Afghanistan during a meeting in Belgium.
Pentagon officials said the defense secretary wanted to meet with his top commanders to gain a clear understanding of the situation in Afghanistan through firsthand accounts of the burgeoning war effort.
U.S. and international forces have stepped up their military effort in Afghanistan as the Iraq mission winds down. The mission also goes toward providing security ahead of national elections set for Aug. 20.
The Gates briefing comes ahead of a planned update by U.S. Gen. Stanley McChrystal for NATO officials. U.S. military strategists were encouraged to address issues stemming from mounting civilian casualties in Afghanistan.
"McChrystal is working very hard and has made some adjustments, and those adjustments will continue so that, in fact, over time, we would see the civilian impact of military operations go down," said State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley.
