Obama holds 'war council' as pressure grows on US strategy

BARACK OBAMA has held his first "war council" meeting as he seeks to change the US strategy in Afghanistan.

The meeting at the White House situation room, on the eighth anniversary of the start of the US-led war against the Taliban, came amid speculation of a substantial increase in troop numbers as the US president seeks to redefine the US mission in Afghanistan.

The Obama administration is under pressure to decide what action to take - increase forces or scale back operations in an increasingly unpopular war.

The meeting included vice president Joe Biden, secretary of state Hillary Clinton, defence secretary Robert Gates and national intelligence director Dennis Blair with military commanders including Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and General David Petraeus, head of the US Central Command. The US and Nato commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, took part via a video link. There will be another meeting tomorrow.