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Global

Obama receives request for troops in Afghanistan


    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama has received a request by the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan for additional troops, and the request has now started formally working its way through the military chain of command, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.

    Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said Defence Secretary Robert Gates, responding to a request from the president, provided him with an "informal copy" of General Stanley McChrystal's troop request late last week. Top Obama administration officials received copies of the request on Monday, he said.

    (reporting by Adam Entous; Editing by Vicki Allen)