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Foreign Command to Direct U.S. Troops
PORTOROZ, Slovenia (AP) - A plan approved Thursday to extend NATO's military control across all of Afghanistan would put as many as 12,000 American troops under foreign battlefield command, a number that U.S. officials said could be the most since World War II. The move is expected to take place in the next few weeks, NATO spokesman James Appathurai said.It was not clear how many troops were under foreign command during World War II. A U.S. officer, Gen. James L. Jones, is in charge of the overall NATO force, but the new arrangement would put the U.S. troops under foreign commanders on the battlefield. The ministers also agreed to provide substantial amounts of military equipment for the Afghan army. "There were in rough numbers thousands of weapons offered up, and I believe probably millions of rounds of ammunition," Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told reporters. NATO-led troops took command of the southern portion of Afghanistan two months ago. This plan would extend their control to the eastern section, which U.S. troops now command. Plans all along have been for NATO to take over the military in all regions of the country. NATO's takeover of the eastern section had been expected to happen later this fall, switching at least 10,000 American troops from U.S. command to alliance control - specifically that of British Lt. Gen. David Richards. Currently about 2,000 U.S. troops are serving under NATO commanders in other portions of Afghanistan. Posted by: Steve White 2006-09-29 |
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