|
Nato allies to send extra 7,000 troops to Afghanistan
Nato's top official says countries will send at least 7,000 extra troops to support the US surge in Afghanistan. Speaking at a Nato summit in Brussels, Anders Fogh Rasmussen said there would be "more [troops] to come"."At least 25 countries will send more forces to the mission in 2010," the Nato secretary general told reporters. Earlier, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described the response from Nato allies as "positive", but some major countries are holding back. France and Germany, for instance, have not yet committed to sending extra troops. "With the right resources, we can succeed," Mr Rasmussen told a news conference after allied foreign ministers met with representatives of non-Nato countries that have forces in Afghanistan. Earlier, the Nato chief told delegates at Nato HQ that the coming year would "see a new momentum in this mission". The BBC's Nick Childs, in Brussels, says the main thrust of Mr Rasmussen's speech was to insist on a message of solidarity, despite the challenges, and of unity behind mission. "In addition to the clear pledges already tabled, we have heard indications ... that other allies and partners will probably be in a position to announce contributions in the coming weeks and months," Mr Rasmussen said. "Isaf (International Security Assistance Force) will have at least 37,000 more soldiers in 2010 than it did this year," he said. "That is solidarity in action." But many Nato governments face publics even more sceptical about the mission than those of the US and Britain. Even if more public announcements are forthcoming, turning these into firm pledges of the right troops at the right time and for the right missions, may take longer, our correspondent adds. Posted by: tipper 2009-12-04 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=284860 |