Rice and Miliband arrive in Afghanistan

The United States and Britain have been urging other NATOmembers to share more of the combat burden in Afghanistan,particularly in the south, where the Islamist Talibaninsurgency is strongest.

"Frankly, I hope there will be more troop contributions andthere need to be more Afghan forces," Rice told reporterstravelling with her on the flight from London.

She said NATO members needed to "come together to giveenough military power to do what needs to be done on the frontend of the counter-insurgency effort".

Some NATO countries have bristled at public criticism fromWashington over the refusal of a number of alliance members toposition their forces in the more dangerous south ofAfghanistan to fight Taliban insurgents.

Germany, for example, under its parliamentary mandate cansend only 3,500 soldiers to the less dangerous north as part ofthe 42,000-strong NATO mission.

Some NATO countries have bristled at public criticism fromWashington over the refusal of a number of alliance members toposition their forces in the more dangerous south ofAfghanistan to fight Taliban insurgents.

Germany, for example, under its parliamentary mandate cansend only 3,500 soldiers to the less dangerous north as part ofthe 42,000-strong NATO mission.

That means most of the fighting against the Taliban isshouldered by Canada, Britain, the United States and theNetherlands. They all want others to contribute more.

The Taliban, ousted from power by a U.S.-led invasion in2001, fought back strongly last year.