The top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan has warned President Mr Barack Obama in a confidential report that the war against the Taliban could be lost within a year without more troops.In a grim assessment of the eight-year conflict obtained by The Washington Post and published on Tuesday, General Stanley McChrystal said a new strategy is needed and warned that inadequate resources will likely result in failure. The report was presented to Defence Secretary Robert Gates on August 30 and is being reviewed by the White House, with McChrystal widely expected to make a formal request to increase the 62,000-strong US force.McChrystal, who assumed command of international troops in Afghanistan in June, said the campaign in Afghanistan has been historically under-resourced and remains so today.He wrote this fact risks a longer conflict, greater casualties, higher overall costs and ultimately, a critical loss ofpolitical support. Any of these risks, in turn, are likely to result in mission failure.Reply””’