Washington: US Senate Democrats have sent a letter to President George W Bush urging him to shift anti-terror efforts from Iraq to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In the letter Sunday, Harry Reid, the majority leader, and other Democratic senators, said the White House has committed too much of US resources to Iraq while neglecting "terror-havens" of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"While violence and the drug trade have surged in Afghanistan and Pakistan's security remains fragile, we are distracted by an endless civil war in Iraq," the letter said.

"To make America more secure, we must refocus on hunting down a resurgent Al Qaeda, securing a troubled Afghanistan and rebuilding our overburdened and misused military," it added.

The letter, among other things, is setting the stage for the upcoming fresh round of debate on Iraq policy as top US commander in Iraq David Petraeus and US Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker are scheduled to testify at the Capitol Hill early next week on the situation in Iraq.

Although under growing pressure to withdraw troops from Iraq, Bush seems determined to stay his own course.

Source : IANS