Car Bomber Kills 6 in Afghanistan as U.S. Announces Security Push

KABUL  A homicide car bomber attacked a police checkpoint in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, killing six people, police said, as the American envoy to the country said the U.S. would push for a "very significant increase" in the country's police force to improve security and stability.Richard Holbrooke, who is the special envoy to both Pakistan and Afghanistan, said current plans to increase Afghanistan's national police from 78,000 to 82,000 over the next four years were "not sufficient." Afghan police, who have less training and fewer weapons than Afghan and international soldiers, often bear the brunt of insurgent attacks. "We need to devise programs which improve the Afghan government's capability to defend itself and that means considerably strengthening the Afghan national army and the Afghan national police," Holbrooke said during a debate on the Afghan war in Brussels. "We are looking in conjunction with our allies at a very significant increase." European countries, not eager to send additional troops to fight, are currently being urged by Washington to provide military and police trainers, cash or other expertise to help stabilize Afghanistan. Holbrooke said the police force is now "riddled with corruption," and greater numbers of well-trained police would allow international troops in the country to focus on military operations rather than law enforcement.