Increasingly pressed to make a quick decision on whether to send more U.S. troop to Afghanistan, U.S. President Barack Obama pledged on Monday that he "will never rush" on such a decision.

"NEVER RUSH THE DECISION"

"I will never rush the solemn decision of sending you in the harm's way. I won't risk your lives unless it's absolutely necessary," said the president while delivering a speech to some 3, 500 military personnel at a naval air station in Jacksonville, Fla.

"This is very important as we consider our next steps in Afghanistan," he stressed.

Stating that he "will never hesitate to use force to protect the American people or our vital interests," Obama pledged that even if it's necessary to send the U.S. troops into war, "we will back you up to the hilt."

The U.S. troops "deserve the strategy, the clear mission, the defined goals and all of the equipment and support you need to get the job done," said the president, adding that "we are not going to have a situation in which you are not fully supported back here at home."

"That is a promise that I will always make to you," said Obama.

The president's remarks came as his administration faces growing pressure to decide on whether to further increase the number of American troops in Afghanistan following an eight-year war.

But the decision is so hard to make as top U.S. officials are still split on the future direction of the Afghan strategy.

On one hand, Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan and Republicans are pressing Obama to act quickly to increase the present 68,000-troop level by at least 40, 000.

Meanwhile, senior White House advisors are reportedly pushing back the request for sending large number of additional troops, saying that the United States should instead focus on faster military training of Afghan forces, assassinations of al-Qaida leaders and support for the government of neighboring Pakistan to fight against the Taliban.

THE DEADLIEST DAY IN 4 YEARS

The speech was made against a backdrop of rising U.S. casualties in Afghanistan and political turmoil surrounding a planned Nov. 7 Afghan presidential election runoff.

Fourteen U.S. troops died Monday in Afghanistan following two helicopter crashes, making it the deadliest day for U.S. troops in Afghanistan in four years.