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Defense Secretary Robert Gates initially had asked the new commander to submit an assessment of the war effort within 60 days of taking over the helm in June.
But after an unannounced meeting with the commander over the weekend in Belgium, Gates has given the general until early September instead of mid-August to complete his assessment, his press secretary, Geoff Morrell said.
The commander's report also will not include a specific appeal for more troops in Afghanistan, Morrell said.
"The assessment will focus on the situation on the ground and the way ahead but will not offer specific resource requests or recommendations," Morrell said.
Any formal request for more troops would be issued separately, through customary channels under the "chain of command," he said.
The Pentagon, however, had said previously the assessment would look at resources and manpower for the war effort.
McChrystal, whose predecessor was sacked by Gates in May, is under pressure to deliver results in Afghanistan, where a NAT0-led force faces rising casualties in its fight against Islamist insurgents.
His report has attracted attention after some of the civilian experts helping him prepare the assessment called for a major increase in troops and funds for the war.
McChrystal has yet to declare if he believes more US troops are needed though he is expected to call for recruiting and training a larger Afghan security force.
Expanding the number of US troops is a politically-sensitive proposition, both in Kabul and Washington, where members of President Barack Obama's party remain skeptical of the Afghan mission.
Obama has already ordered an additional 21,000 troops to Afghanistan since taking office, with the US force soon to reach 68,000.
Morrell repeated the defense secretary's concerns about allowing for too large a US military presence in Afghanistan, "for fear that we could be viewed not as liberators or allies, but as occupiers."
Gates also did not want to impose an "arbitrary" limit on the number of troops for Afghanistan, Morrell said.
"It's a fine line, and it's one that, if additional resources become an issue, that they will work through together," he said.
In his meeting Sunday at an air base in Chievres, Belgium Gates asked McChrystal "to address some additional issues in this review of the situation on the ground," said Morrell.
"In light of that, the secretary has told General McChrystal to take beyond the 60 days if needed, so he anticipates getting this final product in late August, early September at this point."
Morrell could not say what new issues Gates wanted his commander to address.
In a phone call to the new NATO secretary general, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the US defense secretary informed him about the delay in McChrystal's assessment, he said.
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But after an unannounced meeting with the commander over the weekend in Belgium, Gates has given the general until early September instead of mid-August to complete his assessment, his press secretary, Geoff Morrell said.
The commander's report also will not include a specific appeal for more troops in Afghanistan, Morrell said.
"The assessment will focus on the situation on the ground and the way ahead but will not offer specific resource requests or recommendations," Morrell said.
Any formal request for more troops would be issued separately, through customary channels under the "chain of command," he said.
The Pentagon, however, had said previously the assessment would look at resources and manpower for the war effort.
McChrystal, whose predecessor was sacked by Gates in May, is under pressure to deliver results in Afghanistan, where a NAT0-led force faces rising casualties in its fight against Islamist insurgents.
His report has attracted attention after some of the civilian experts helping him prepare the assessment called for a major increase in troops and funds for the war.
McChrystal has yet to declare if he believes more US troops are needed though he is expected to call for recruiting and training a larger Afghan security force.
Expanding the number of US troops is a politically-sensitive proposition, both in Kabul and Washington, where members of President Barack Obama's party remain skeptical of the Afghan mission.
Obama has already ordered an additional 21,000 troops to Afghanistan since taking office, with the US force soon to reach 68,000.
Morrell repeated the defense secretary's concerns about allowing for too large a US military presence in Afghanistan, "for fear that we could be viewed not as liberators or allies, but as occupiers."
Gates also did not want to impose an "arbitrary" limit on the number of troops for Afghanistan, Morrell said.
"It's a fine line, and it's one that, if additional resources become an issue, that they will work through together," he said.
In his meeting Sunday at an air base in Chievres, Belgium Gates asked McChrystal "to address some additional issues in this review of the situation on the ground," said Morrell.
"In light of that, the secretary has told General McChrystal to take beyond the 60 days if needed, so he anticipates getting this final product in late August, early September at this point."
Morrell could not say what new issues Gates wanted his commander to address.
In a phone call to the new NATO secretary general, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the US defense secretary informed him about the delay in McChrystal's assessment, he said.
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