"We need more troops everywhere, but particularly in the southern provinces, that's where its most dangerous," he said. "Without change, at best progress will remain very slow."

The son of Rozi Khan, an Afghan district governor who was accidentally killed in a firefight involving Australian special forces, told Time magazine that local tribes were pushing for the Australian troops to quit the area. Dawood Khan has also accused Australian troops of firing without warning and failing to provide medical attention. But a Defence spokesman said the Australians had shot in self-defence and could not stay at the scene without "unacceptable risk".

A US official, Mark Kimmitt yesterday called for a "surge of effort" by the world in Afghanistan and a shift in focus from the military campaign to addressing aid, corruption and the drug trade.

Mr Kimmitt, the Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs, said he supported a review of strategy but that it was impossible to set a timeline for success: "You can't kill your way to a solution in Afghanistan. We have all been concerned for some time that the military arm alone will not solve all the problems in Afghanistan. There has to be an equivalent balance between military fighting, assistance in governing, aid assistance. All these different pillars are needed … There is still a long way to go."

Mr Kimmitt, who discussed the Afghanistan war with Defence and foreign affairs officials in Canberra this week, said the US was making no demands on Australia for further support. But he called on European countries to increase their assistance.

"This country [Australia] is doing enough," he said. "There is a direct link between the poppy cultivation and instability inside the country. That is one of the issues that causes us to wonder why the Europeans - where most of the poppy product ends up - have not yet provided … a sufficient effort in Afghanistan."