Democrats criticise Bush's troop plan for both wars

Top US Democrats yesterday criticised President George W. Bush for not sending enough resources to Afghanistan to combat soaring violence and for pulling too few American troops out of Iraq.

Mr Bush, an unpopular President fighting an unpopular war in Iraq, said a dramatic drop in violence in that war zone would allow the US military to shift its effort to Afghanistan, where he acknowledged that "huge challenges" remain.

He said some 8,000 combat and support personnel would return from Iraq by February, while a fresh Marine battalion and Army combat brigade would go to Afghanistan to respond to escalating attacks there and along the border with Pakistan by Islamist militants.