'Surge' may not be enough in Afghanistan, commander says

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A troop "surge" is credited with stemming violence in Iraq, but could a similar strategy work in Afghanistan? A top U.S. military commander isn't counting on it.

In 2007, as part of the surge strategy, President Bush sent roughly 30,000 additional troops to Iraq in an attempt to improve security.

That effort coincided with a drop in violence, and, now that the troops in Iraq are returning to pre-surge levels, the Army is identifying combat units that could go Afghanistan to fill the need for 10,000 additional troops, military officials said.

But a different type of surge is needed in Afghanistan, said Gen. David McKiernan, the top NATO commander there.

"There is no magic number of soldiers that are needed on the ground to win this campaign," McKiernan said. "What we need is security of the people. We need governance. We need reconstruction and development." Watch McKiernan call for a 'comprehensive approach' to Afghanistan »

More troops alone cannot solve one of the biggest problems in Afghanistan: the militants' safe haven in the tribal-controlled areas across the border in Pakistan. View a map of the tribal areas in Pakistan »

U.S. troops are barred from going after militants once they enter Pakistan. Meanwhile, Taliban and al Qaeda militants cross the border freely, U.S. officials said.

"Unless you stabilize that border with Pakistan and uproot the terrorist safe haven that has developed in the Pakistan tribal areas, you're not going to be able to stabilize Afghanistan," said Lisa Curtis of the Heritage Foundation.

Top military and intelligence officials in the Bush administration are urging the president to allow U.S. troops to pursue militants across the border, The Associated Press reported Friday.

Another challenge is Afghanistan's unchecked drug trade, which reportedly is financing the violence.

"Ninety percent of the world's opium comes from Afghanistan, and much of that money ends up in the hands of warlords and other militants," Curtis said.

McKiernan said, "There is a clear linkage between 'narco' trafficking and financing of the insurgency."

Some analysts said there is one positive difference between the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan: Unlike the Iraq army, the Afghan army is eager to challenge its enemies.

"There is a sense of commitment from those troops, and when they go in for the fight, they go in with everything they've got," Curtis said.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates will endorse a $20 billion plan to increase the size of the Afghan army, The New York Times reported Friday.

Copyright 2008 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.

All About Afghanistan War • Pakistan • Al Qaeda • NATO