US President Barack Obama has met his top national security advisers to discuss the war in Afghanistan, ahead of a decision for troops surge there.

Those present at the meeting included Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen, US Central Command Chief General David Petraeus, and special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke.

The top US commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, was to participate via teleconference.

On Tuesday, the White House strongly denied media reports saying that Obama was set to approve a massive buildup of US forces in Afghanistan.

The US media, citing unnamed officials, reported late on Monday that Obama was ready to provide most of the 40,000 additional troops requested by McChrystal.

Obama for weeks has been holding high-level meetings with his top advisers to plot a new strategy for Afghanistan. The discussions have left four options for Obama to consider, Gibbs said, refusing to identify what they were.

Some advisers have pushed for a large increase in troops similar to the surge in Iraq to counter the growing strength of the Taliban in Afghanistan and a security environment that has sharply deteriorated in the last two years.

Obama is not expected to announce a decision for several weeks.

SG/SS/RE