WASHINGTON ( CNN ) -- President Obama huddled with top military , foreign policy and national security advisers Wednesday as part of an ongoing review of U.S. strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan . President Obama and his national security team meet in the White House Situation Room on Wednesday . The meeting , the fifth such gathering in recent weeks , came as the administration continued to weigh a call for as many as 40,000 additional troops in Afghanistan from Gen. Stanley McChrystal , the top U.S. commander in that country . McChrystal has said the extra manpower is necessary to implement an effective counterinsurgency strategy . Wednesday 's meeting , however , focused on efforts to strengthen the American civilian mission in Afghanistan , White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said . Obama also received a report on ongoing efforts to train Afghan security forces , Gibbs added . While McChrystal is pushing for a major troop increase , others in the administration are advocating a different approach . Vice President Joe Biden has called for a counterterrorism strategy , which would focus on using special forces and technology to reduce the number of al Qaeda insurgents on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border . `` I will tell you that our principal goal remains to root out al Qaeda and its extremist allies that can launch attacks against the United States or its allies , '' Obama said Tuesday . `` That 's our principal mission . We are also obviously interested in stability in the region , and that includes not only Afghanistan but also Pakistan . '' Obama has come under intense pressure from several leading senators to follow McChrystal 's recommendation , a move vehemently opposed by many liberal Democrats . As Obama huddled with his national security team , House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer , D-Maryland , said he 's not ready yet to support sending additional troops to Afghanistan . Hoyer also told reporters he has serious questions about U.S. chances for success in the region and the stability of the Afghan government . `` Afghanistan has not been a successful venue for many great powers in the past , '' Hoyer said . `` I ca n't think of any . I think we also need to have some degree of confidence that the government in Afghanistan is a viable government that can create confidence within its people . I have reservations about whether that has happened at this point in time . '' The majority leader also argued that the situation in Afghanistan ca n't be viewed in isolation and requires a regional approach that includes Pakistan and India . Sen. John McCain , R-Arizona , said Sunday that any added military deployment that fell short of McChrystal 's request `` would be an error of historic proportions . '' `` And I think the great danger now is a half-measure , sort of a -- you know , [ trying ] to please all ends of the political spectrum , '' McCain told CNN 's John King . `` I have great sympathy for the president , making the toughest decisions that presidents have to make , but I think he needs to use deliberate speed , '' he said . Sen. Dianne Feinstein , D-California , argued that U.S. troops would be put in `` jeopardy '' if Obama does not listen to McChrystal . `` I do n't know how you put somebody in who 's as crackerjack as Gen. McChrystal , who gives the president very solid recommendations , and not take those recommendations if you 're not going to pull out , '' she said Sunday on ABC 's `` This Week . '' Feinstein heads the Senate Intelligence Committee . British Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced Wednesday that he is increasing British troop levels in Afghanistan to 9,500 , an increase of 500 . The British have the second-largest contingent in Afghanistan , after the United States , according to NATO 's International Security Assistance Force . Obama announced a plan to send 21,000 additional troops to Afghanistan in March . A total of 65,000 U.S. soldiers are currently serving in the war-torn country . CNN 's Richard Greene and Adam Levine contributed to this report .
Gathering focuses on efforts to support civilian mission . Administration continues to weigh demand for additional U.S. troops . Leading senators have urged Congress to further support . Vice president has called for counterterrorism strategy .