Afghan War Faces Growing Scepticism

Approximately 800 civilians have been killed in the Afghan war in the first five months of the year, a 24 percent jump from the same period in 2008.

US envoy to Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke, defending the objective of the Afghan war, told the BBC that western troops were needed to fight the war there because of the "direct threat" by the Taliban.

Meanwhile, Nato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said he was alarmed by growing scepticism about the fighting in Afghanistan, according to the BBC.

Mounting allied casualties, a rising Afghan civilian death toll and claims of widespread electoral fraud have led to growing opposition to the campaign in Western countries.