U.S. thanks Britain for sending more troops to Afghanistan

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Obama administration on Wednesday expressed its appreciation to the British government for sending extra troops to Afghanistan, a timely support to Washington's strategy in the war-torn country.

"Obviously, the British people and those that serve there have borne an enormous price in casualties. We're thankful for a strengthening of the coalition," said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs.

Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced that Britain was sending an extra 500 troops to reinforce the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, bringing the British troops to "a new level of 9,500."

"We're happy for their increase in contributions," said Gibbs.

According to the spokesman, President Barack Obama and Brown recently have discussed the increase of British troops in Afghanistan, where Washington has vowed to "disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-Qaeda and its extremist allies."

The Obama administration has been reviewing an overall strategy of the war in Afghanistan, and considering whether to send additional troops to the country.

General Stanley McChrystal, top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, warned that the United States would lose the war against al-Qaeda and Taliban without rapidly sending up to 40,000 additional troops to Afghanistan.

By the end of this year, according to previous deployment plans, there will be a total of 68,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

Britain is one of the United States' closest allies, and its foreign policy emphasizes close coordination with the United States.

Some 210 British soldiers have died in Afghanistan since 2001.