Mullen told a news conference it was up to President Barack Obama to decide when to deploy additional troops to Afghanistan, but he said time was of the essence at what he called a critical period for the country.

During a visit to the Canadian capital to discuss the Afghan war among other issues, Mullen was asked about the possible reinforcement of the US mission as requested by the commander of US forces in Afghanistan, General David McKiernan.

"The general had this request out for many months and those working through the request recognise that the sooner the better with respect to this," Mullen said.

He said 2009 was a crucial moment with elections scheduled later in the year and an increasingly violent insurgency in the south and east of the country.

"I'm hopeful that we can get them there as soon as absolutely possible, but, again, that's a decision for the president of the United States, not for me."

He said more US troops were needed to allow for development and aid projects to go ahead as insurgents were often moving back into areas where NATO forces had previously pushed them out.

"It's got to be enough forces to be able not just to clear, but we've got to have enough forces in there to hold, which we haven't had in the past," the US admiral said.

His Canadian counterpart, General Walter Natynczyk, agreed.

He said his country was looking "forward to the reinforcement of US forces in theatre to enable us to continue not only to secure an area and do the build, but then to hold, something that we've had a challenge with the lack of forces on the ground."

Mullen's comments came as the Obama administration reviews US strategy in Afghanistan in the face of an emboldened Taliban insurgency and plans to possibly double the 36,000-strongly US force there.

The Afghan mission is a sensitive issue in Canada, where the government has committed to stay in the country only to the end of 2011 after a political deal.

More than 100 Canadians have died in Afghanistan since the start of its mission in 2002, with the toll rising after Canadian troops deployed to the country's volatile south in 2006.

US officials have suggested that Washington would like to see Ottawa extend its mission but Canadian ministers and military officers have insisted the deadline is firm.

Mullen told reporters he had made no request for Canada to remain in Afghanistan beyond 2011, saying Washington would not interfere with Canada's decision.

He added the United States would make adjustments as necessary if the Canadian forces depart as planned.

More than 400 Canadians have been wounded in Afghanistan from 2002 to 2008, and Admiral Mullen on Monday met some of those injured in combat in the Taliban-dominated south.

Among them was Corporal Michael Trauner, 29, who lost both legs and suffered serious injuries to his left hand in December when an improvised explosive detonated while he was on patrol west of Kandahar.

The explosion threw him 20 feet into the air, he told reporters after meeting the US admiral.

An American Blackhawk helicopter evacuated him minutes later and he was treated by a US and Canadian medical team in Afghanistan and later in Germany. His heart stopped twice but he was revived both times, doctors told him later.

"So far I have had eight surgeries in total, three of them on my hand," said Trauner, of the Royal Canadian Regiment.

Doctors are still taking shrapnel out of his shattered left hand, which suffered 25 separate fractures.

Trauner said he believed strongly in the mission in Afghanistan and planned to stay in the Canadian armed forces even if he could no longer serve in combat.

"If we don't do the job, who would?" he said.

Canada has about 2,750 soldiers serving among the nearly 70,000 international troops in Afghanistan under NATO and US command.

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