The US Defense Secretary Robert Gates has replaced the country's top general in Afghanistan, saying fresh thinking is needed to turn around the war against a resurgent Taliban.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, left, accompanied by Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen, right, meets reporters at the Pentagon, Monday, May 11, 2009. [Pablo Martinez Monsivais/CCTV/AP Photo]

The Pentagon's decision comes as more than 21-thousand additional US forces begin arriving in Afghanistan.

Robert Gates, S Defense Secretary, said, "If there were to be a change, this is the right time to make the change. At a time when we are at the beginning of the implementation of the new strategy and it is in that context that I emphasized that the focus here is simply on getting fresh thinking, fresh eyes on the problem and how we implement the strategy in the mission going forward."

The US Defense Secretary has also expressed "horror and deep regret" at the shooting of five Americans at a stress clinic at a US base in Baghdad. Investigations are continuing.

(CCTV May 13, 2009)