Obama to confront Congress

Over Afghanistan issue:

US: US President Barack Obama will confront a building political storm over Afghanistan on Tuesday, as he talks through his dilemma over future war strategy with leading figures in Congress.

Obama is under intense pressure to offer lawmakers of both parties more detail on his evolving internal review of Afghanistan policy, as debate heats up on the unpopular war following a spike in US troop deaths.

The afternoon talks will "walk (lawmakers) through where we are in (the) process and solicit their views," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said, cautioning that Obama was still far from deciding a new strategy.

Temperatures in Washington are flaring as each party advances conflicting approaches. War commander General Stanley McChrystal meanwhile apparently irked the White House by openly campaigning for more troops.

Obama, who came to power vowing to halt one war in Iraq is facing stiff opposition from some fellow Democrats to the idea of escalating another in Afghanistan.

AFP