NATO will send more soldiers to Afghanistan
Source: Agencies |
December 5, 2009, Saturday
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TWENTY-FIVE NATO allies promised yesterday to send 7,000 more troops to Afghanistan, backing US President Barack Obama's new war strategy and stepping up international efforts to defeat the Taliban.
While significant, the extra commitment falls short of the 10,000 troops that Pentagon officials had originally hoped for and goes only part way toward accelerating the training of Afghan forces to take over security responsibility.
Following a meeting with NATO foreign ministers, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said he had received confirmed pledges for the extra troops, with the probability of more countries contributing to the total in the next few months.
"Nations are backing up their words with deeds," Rasmussen said. "That is solidarity in action and it will have a powerful effect on the ground."
The move follows Obama's decision on December 1 to send 30,000 more US soldiers to Afghanistan, marking an attempt to turn the tide in the eight-year war and regain the initiative from the Taliban, which has gained strength over the past year.
Rasmussen said the extra troops, which with the added US contribution will raise the total number of foreign forces in Afghanistan to around 140,000, would help to tackle the insurgency, but would not be enough to defeat it alone.
"There are no silver bullets, no magic solutions," he said. "It will still take more time, more commitment and more patience to reach our shared goal."
Rasmussen laid out what he called a new road map for NATO operations, involving more troops, aid and training for Afghan security forces, as well as efforts to reintegrate Taliban fighters who agree to lay down their arms.
The pledges must be set against plans by the Netherlands and Canada to withdraw a total of 4,900 combat forces in 2010 and 2011.
While significant, the extra commitment falls short of the 10,000 troops that Pentagon officials had originally hoped for and goes only part way toward accelerating the training of Afghan forces to take over security responsibility.
Following a meeting with NATO foreign ministers, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said he had received confirmed pledges for the extra troops, with the probability of more countries contributing to the total in the next few months.
"Nations are backing up their words with deeds," Rasmussen said. "That is solidarity in action and it will have a powerful effect on the ground."
The move follows Obama's decision on December 1 to send 30,000 more US soldiers to Afghanistan, marking an attempt to turn the tide in the eight-year war and regain the initiative from the Taliban, which has gained strength over the past year.
Rasmussen said the extra troops, which with the added US contribution will raise the total number of foreign forces in Afghanistan to around 140,000, would help to tackle the insurgency, but would not be enough to defeat it alone.
"There are no silver bullets, no magic solutions," he said. "It will still take more time, more commitment and more patience to reach our shared goal."
Rasmussen laid out what he called a new road map for NATO operations, involving more troops, aid and training for Afghan security forces, as well as efforts to reintegrate Taliban fighters who agree to lay down their arms.
The pledges must be set against plans by the Netherlands and Canada to withdraw a total of 4,900 combat forces in 2010 and 2011.
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