Lugar suggests more focus on Afghan war

WASHINGTON (AP) - A top Republican senator wants to postpone efforts to overhaul health care until next year so Congress can concentrate on how to pay for President Barack Obama's expected plans for expanding military operations in Afghanistan.

Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, says there's need to be a sharp focus on Obama's new strategy for the 8-year war and how much it will cost.

Lugar says there are many issues to consider, including the possibility of raising taxes to pay for operations in Afghanistan. But Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., says health care legislation is at a critical stage and passing it is too important to the economy.

Health care debate is expected to begin this week in the Senate. The senators appeared Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union."