Afghan national forces key -- Petraeus

ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 8 (UPI) -- Building a self-reliant and capable Afghan national security force is not a process that can be rushed, said U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus.

Petraeus, the head of U.S. Central Command, said that despite political and military wrangling over an effective strategy for Afghanistan, commitment to the mission is a constant theme.

"Afghanistan obviously requires a sustained, substantial commitment," he said.

He stressed, however, that reconstruction of the Afghan army is something vital to national security, though it is something that requires patience.

"No question about the need to develop the Afghan national security forces as rapidly as possible, and likely to higher numbers," he said. "But we have to keep in mind that there are limits to how fast you can accelerate that development."

U.S. lawmakers and military advisers are considering assessments from the top U.S. military brass, examining whether to commit more ground troops or focus on a special operations model for Afghanistan.

Petraeus, who developed the counterinsurgency doctrine employed in Iraq, declined, however, to say how many troops were needed to support the mission in Afghanistan.