US President Barack Obama's top Democratic ally in the House of Representatives warned Thursday of a lack of support among the US public and lawmakers for ramping up troop levels in Afghanistan.
"I don't think there's a great deal of support for sending more troops to Afghanistan in the country or in the Congress," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters.
Pelosi said she had not yet been briefed on a classified strategic review by the top US military commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, whose classified report is expected to be followed by a request for more troops.
But the California representative said she was "more interested" in work by the Obama administration, lawmakers, and staff on a list of benchmarks for success in Afghanistan.
Pelosi's remarks made her the most senior Democrat to express public doubts about support for sending more troops to fight the increasingly unpopular eight-year-old war.
Democratic Senator Russell Feingold has called on Obama to set a flexible timetable for withdrawal, while some Democrats in the House of Representatives say they want clear, precise benchmarks for success before they will sign off on sending more troops.
Pelosi said she hoped to be briefed on McChrystal's report next week.
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