ZAGREB, Croatia, April 4 -- President Bush promised NATO allies at a summit that ended in Bucharest, Romania, on Friday that the United States would increase forces in Afghanistan next year no matter what happens in Iraq, aides said.

Bush told a NATO session that included Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Thursday that the nation was committed to winning the war in Afghanistan and would be even after he leaves office in January. His vow came as European allies agreed to supply nearly 2,500 more troops themselves to join 3,500 additional U.S. Marines sent by Bush.

Neither National security adviser Stephen Hadley nor Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates indicated how many troops they had in mind. [MORE]