The commander of international forces in Afghanistan has called for several thousand more troops from the US and its allies such as Australia to help in the fight against militants.
Australia has 270 defence personnel deployed mostly in the capital Kabul where they provide support and security along with some mentoring recruits at the Afghan National Military Academy.
US Army General John Nicholson, who leads American and international forces in Afghanistan, said he had enough troops to carry out counter-terrorism missions against al-Qaeda and other militant targets.
But it wasn't enough to properly advise Afghan forces on the ground.
"We have a shortfall of a few thousand," General Nicholson told the US Senate's armed services committee.
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Those forces could be drawn from the US as well as from allies, he said.
US President Donald Trump spoke with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani about security and counter-terrorism co-operation on Thursday (US time).
White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the president would heed the advice of his generals and Defense Secretary James Mattis but Afghanistan was yet to be discussed.
Mr Trump has given the Pentagon a 30-day deadline to come up with a new military strategy to defeat Islamic State in Iraq and Syria but at this stage has not made a similar order for Afghanistan.
Australian Defence Association spokesman Neil James said there was merit in sending more troops for training roles in Afghanistan.
"It's obviously reasonably justified," he told AAP on Friday.
Whether Australia did it or not depended on federal government sensitivities.
"We've certainly got the capacity to do it," Mr James said.
He believes former president Barack Obama may have withdrawn combat troops too early from Afghanistan in 2014.
The international force in Afghanistan numbers 13,300 troops, of which 8400 are American.
