Buoyed by recent successes, NATO soon will ask European nations to send more troops and equipment to Afghanistan. If enough nations pitch in, the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan could be reduced. The plan is to ask nations to stake a claim in the country, providing a more stable area a piece at a time, according to U.S. Marine Gen. James L. Jones, NATO's supreme allied commander. Following the successful Afghan presidential elections and the small victories at many regional outposts, Jones plans to seek more help from the alliance's member nations, as well as others. Currently, there are about 18,000 U.S. troops in the country and between 6,500 and 8,000 other NATO forces there.
The Czech Republic has sent a battalion trained to take on chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats. The Netherlands has contributed the 1st Helicopter Detachment, 301st Squadron of the Royal Netherlands Air Force. Its six Apache helicopters, 110 troops and 24 vehicles are based in Kabul, the capital. |