Now the United States and other allies are helping rebuild, train and equip Afghan forces.

Often stationed in remote outposts, they suffer far higher casualties than the more mobile and better equipped Afghan army.

So far $27 billion has been spent training and equipping Afghan security forces, including the army and police.

President Hamid Karzai urged more support from the international community to train and equip Afghan forces and help them stand up against Taliban attacks.

Rice told reporters $8.6 billion would be dedicated to training and equipping Afghan army and police forces and $2 billion to reconstruction.

The United States has spent $16.5 billion on training and equipping Afghan security forces thus far, and they are nowhere near self-sufficient.

President George W. Bush asked Congress for $5.9 billion in 2007 and $2.7 billion in 2008 to train and equip Afghan security forces.