WASHINGTON ( CNN ) -- The United States and Britain said Wednesday they are committed to remaining in Afghanistan , despite increased military casualties and declining public support for the war effort . U.S. Marines partrol part of the Gharmsir district in Afghanistan 's Helmand province on Wednesday . `` We went into this together , and we will work it through together because we are stronger together , '' British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said after a half day of talks at the State Department with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton . Clinton praised Miliband 's approach on Afghanistan , including the call for the government to reconcile with moderate elements of the Taliban . `` His analysis of the way forward is very much consistent with ours , and we will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder in pursuit of our common objectives , '' Clinton said of her counterpart . In a speech at NATO headquarters on Monday , Miliband called for rank-and-file Taliban to be given the chance to reconcile with the Afghan government , even as the campaign continues against Taliban commanders who are waging jihad . He also urged greater burden sharing not only among NATO allies in Afghanistan but by the Afghan government . `` There is a lot of talk , rightly , about burden sharing within the coalition , but the greatest burden sharing must be between the international community and the government of Afghanistan , which increasingly needs to take the lead -- the security lead , as well as the political lead -- in shaping the future of that country , '' he said . Richard Holbrooke , the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan , told reporters that boosting the training of Afghan forces would be a big focus after the country 's August 20 election . When asked whether the election would be fair , Holbrooke , who just returned from the region , said he had heard complaints from all sides but was not `` unduly upset . '' `` It 's an extraordinary thing to hold an election in the middle of a war , and this is the first contested election in Afghanistan in history , '' Holbrooke said , adding the United States has no favorite candidate but only wants `` an election whose outcome is accepted as legitimate by the Afghan people and the world , which reflects the desires of those who vote . '' July has been the deadliest month for U.S. and British forces since the U.S.-led invasion in 2001 , with 39 U.S. troops and 22 British troops killed . Miliband said the effort was going through a `` tough phase , '' but added that the British people understood the `` vital nature '' of the mission to stabilize Afghanistan . British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has been under under enormous pressure from his opposition , which charges that British troops do n't have proper resources to fight the war , including helicopters . But he was sanguine . `` I think the British people will stay with this mission , because there is a clear strategy and a clear determination on behalf of the United States and other coalition members to see this through , '' he said , adding that the British people understood the mission 's `` vital nature . '' Americans , too , have questioned whether the war in Afghanistan is winnable and worth the effort . U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and members of Congress , including Democrats , have predicted that President Obama has a year to show progress in Afghanistan before public support for the war further erodes . Clinton said Britain and the United States `` have made significant gains in the recent operations '' against the Taliban , but `` there remains much work to be done . '' `` We know that this is a challenge that is not going to be easily resolved in a short period of time , '' she said , adding `` both of our countries are still threatened by the same enemy , an enemy that has attacked London , New York and Washington . '' `` We know they 've attacked us in the past , and , unfortunately , we know that they plot against us even today , '' she said .
'01 for U.S. , Afghan forces in U.S. since July deadliest month invasion . `` We will work it through together , '' British Foreign Secretary Robert Gates says . Miliband calls for Afghan government to reconcile with moderate Taliban elements . U.S. official : Boosting the training of Afghan forces will be a big focus .