Kerry Opposes McChrystal's Plan For More Troops In Afghanistan

October 26, 2009 8:17 p.m. EST

Washington, DC (AHN) - Sen. John Kerry, the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said a proposal to send up to 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan is premature and overreaching.

Kerry, a Massachusetts Democrat, told the Council on Foreign Relations, that he agreed with President Barack Obama's cautious approach to his generals' requests for more troops to help defeat the Taliban and al Qaeda insurgency there.

He said the plan by Gen. Stanley McChrystal, NATO's military commander in Afghanistan, to send tens of thousands of troops extra "goes too far, too fast."

There are about 68,000 U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan, and NATO has about 40,000 troops there.

Kerry was in Afghanistan last week. While on his trip, he helped convince Afghan President Hamid Karsai to agree to a runoff election against his opponent Abdullah Abdullah, NPR reported.