This is from IHT. Poland has courted U.S. favor in order to have a lever against Russian interference and this is even more the case with Georgia which has U.S. backing to join NATO. Russia will soon be surrounded on its western border by nations that are members of NATO. If Russia were to attack or threaten them then NATO would be required to come to their aid. Imagine if Mexico and Canada were part of a pro-Soviet defence pact. Would Bush be happy. Kennedy threatened war when Russia was planning to install missiles in Cuba. However Russia is not to worry about the U.S. missile defence shield in Eastern Europe. There is a new old Cold War brewing.
NATO summit generates 2,000 extra troops for Afghanistan
The Associated Press
Friday, April 4, 2008
BUCHAREST, Romania: NATO leaders offered about 2,000 extra troops for the allied force in Afghanistan during the three day summit that ended Friday, officials said.
Georgia, a candidate for NATO membership, offered 500 troops and Poland confirmed it would send eight badly needed helicopters and 400 more soldiers. French President Nicolas Sarkozy said publicly Thursday he would send 700 extra soldiers.
Poland and Georgia will split their new units between the southern and eastern regions — the most dangerous parts of the country, said the officials who spoke on condition of anonymity since announcements of extra troops are usually left to national authorities.
Italy, Romania and Greece said they would add training teams for the Afghan army which are seen as key to NATO's strategic target of building up an effective Afghan force of 80,000 by 2010 which could eventually start to replace allied troops. NATO currently has around 30 such teams.
Other offers included 120 Czech special forces for the southern frontlines of the fight against the Taliban. Non-NATO member Azerbaijan said it would send 45 more soldiers and New Zealand said it would bolster its 120-strong contingent in Bamiyan province with 18 more troops.
Washington has lobbied for other nations to provide more troops for the 47,000 strong NATO force, and in particular to add forces in the southern and eastern areas which have seen most of the recent fighting against the Taliban.
The United States is the biggest contributor with 19,000 troops, followed by Britain with 7,750, Germany with 3,490 and Canada with 2,500.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright © 2008 The International Herald Tribune | www.iht.com
Showing posts with label NATO mission in Afghanistan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NATO mission in Afghanistan. Show all posts
Friday, April 4, 2008
Friday, March 7, 2008
NATO Foreign Ministers OK new Afghan Plan
This is from the Edmonton Sun. France may help Canada. The mission is very unpopular in France. In fact it is unpopular almost everywhere in Europe with countries involved. However, this does not preventg Sarkozy and Harper from following through with the mission. Supporting the troops seems to mean calling them a hero every time one gets killed or maimed by an IED. Getting the troops out of there so this can't happen is not supporting the troops.
March 6, 2008
NATO foreign ministers OK new Afghan plan Canada confident help is on the way
OTTAWA — Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier emerged from a meeting with his NATO counterparts in Belgium on Thursday more confident that Canada will get the help it needs in southern Afghanistan.
He said in a phone interview from Brussels he walked other ministers through the Manley commission report, which recommended Canada extend its deployment in Kandahar to 2011, as long as alliance members sent 1,000 more troops to the south.
Bernier called it a “constructive dialogue.”
The foreign ministers have signed off on a comprehensive Afghanistan strategy — a proposal that’s expected to get final approval next month at a summit meeting in Romania.
“Our discussions today will help prepare the ground for the major meeting we will have in Bucharest, where heads of state and government will approve a political-military plan which will guide our operation in Afghanistan for the coming years, as part of a stepped-up, comprehensive, international effort,” said NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.
Alliance officials did not detail the strategy, other than to say it will balance the needs of countries which have asked for more help in fighting the Taliban with demands from other members who say the mission is more about reconstruction.
Bernier held separate meetings with the foreign affairs ministers of both Belgium and France.
He received an update on France’s proposal to increase its combat presence in the war-torn country.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told him that no decision has been made on whether French troops are going to eastern or southern Afghanistan.
A senior Canadian official says Bernier was given — in a very short meeting — a glimpse at how deliberations among French officials are proceeding.
A final decision, which is expected to be announced at the Bucharest summit, will be made by President Nicolas Sarkozy, Kouchner said.
In a separate bilateral meeting, the Belgians were thanked for deploying four Mirage jet fighters to Afghanistan to support ground troops.
“I emphasized that all NATO members need to do what is required to succeed in Afghanistan,” Bernier said following the meeting.
“This includes ensuring (the NATO force) has the necessary resources and is using those resources in the most effective way possible.”
Alliance military planners say a deployment of French troops to eastern Afghanistan could still benefit the Canadians because it would free forces already there to move to Kandahar.
March 6, 2008
NATO foreign ministers OK new Afghan plan Canada confident help is on the way
OTTAWA — Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier emerged from a meeting with his NATO counterparts in Belgium on Thursday more confident that Canada will get the help it needs in southern Afghanistan.
He said in a phone interview from Brussels he walked other ministers through the Manley commission report, which recommended Canada extend its deployment in Kandahar to 2011, as long as alliance members sent 1,000 more troops to the south.
Bernier called it a “constructive dialogue.”
The foreign ministers have signed off on a comprehensive Afghanistan strategy — a proposal that’s expected to get final approval next month at a summit meeting in Romania.
“Our discussions today will help prepare the ground for the major meeting we will have in Bucharest, where heads of state and government will approve a political-military plan which will guide our operation in Afghanistan for the coming years, as part of a stepped-up, comprehensive, international effort,” said NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.
Alliance officials did not detail the strategy, other than to say it will balance the needs of countries which have asked for more help in fighting the Taliban with demands from other members who say the mission is more about reconstruction.
Bernier held separate meetings with the foreign affairs ministers of both Belgium and France.
He received an update on France’s proposal to increase its combat presence in the war-torn country.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told him that no decision has been made on whether French troops are going to eastern or southern Afghanistan.
A senior Canadian official says Bernier was given — in a very short meeting — a glimpse at how deliberations among French officials are proceeding.
A final decision, which is expected to be announced at the Bucharest summit, will be made by President Nicolas Sarkozy, Kouchner said.
In a separate bilateral meeting, the Belgians were thanked for deploying four Mirage jet fighters to Afghanistan to support ground troops.
“I emphasized that all NATO members need to do what is required to succeed in Afghanistan,” Bernier said following the meeting.
“This includes ensuring (the NATO force) has the necessary resources and is using those resources in the most effective way possible.”
Alliance military planners say a deployment of French troops to eastern Afghanistan could still benefit the Canadians because it would free forces already there to move to Kandahar.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Dion digs in on Afghan deadline.
I am a bit puzzled by Dion's apparent rigidity on the Liberal position. I certainly doubt that the Liberals would ever have the courage to vote against any motion of the Conservatives on Afghanistan especially since it will follow the recommendation of the Manley report. Perhaps it is to show how strong and principled a leader he is before he caves in on the advice of Ignatieff.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Dion digs in on Afghan deadline
Meeting with pM; Liberal leader 'unwavering' on February, 2009
Juliet O'neill and Mike Blanchfield, Canwest News Service Published: Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Chris Wattie/Reuters
OTTAWA - Liberal leader Stephane Dion described his call for an end to the combat mission in Afghanistan in one year as "unwavering," after a 25-minute meeting with Stephen Harper yesterday.
If a compromise is in the works on the future of the mission, neither leader said so immediately after the meeting held at Mr. Harper's request.
Mr. Harper reiterated the minority government's position that the combat mission should be extended only on condition 1,000 extra NATO troops, plus equipment, are provided, his press secretary said.
Mr. Dion, whose party will likely have the deciding vote on the future of the mission, because the Bloc Quebecois and New Democratic Party are certain to vote against an extension, planned to comment on the meeting after he consults his caucus today.
Earlier, he said he wanted to "explore" with Mr. Harper a non-combat role for the troops after February, 2009. And Liberal defence critic Denis Coderre said, "we're not going to negotiate" an extension, but "maybe we should take a look at the definition of [the mission] after February, 2009."
After the meeting, Mr. Dion's office said that "Mr. Dion made clear the Liberal party's long-standing position on the mission in Afghanistan, including our firm and unwavering belief that the combat mission in Kandahar must end by February, 2009."
Likewise, Mr. Harper's office said in a statement the Prime Minister "reiterated the government's position -- that we are adopting the bipartisan recommendations of the Manley panel -- and that if we are unable to secure extra combat troops and equipment, Canada will not be extending the mission in Afghanistan."
Mr. Harper continued to lobby NATO allies for more support in southern Afghanistan with a telephone call yesterday to French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
As he has done in calls this week to Washington, London and NATO headquarters, Mr. Harper told Mr. Sarkozy he would follow the recommendation of the Manley panel to extend the mission only if the alliance can find another 1,000 troops.
While Defence Minister Peter MacKay suggested this week that France might be willing to contribute more to southern Afghanistan, French officials were non-committal going into tomorrow's meeting of NATO defence ministers in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Meanwhile, Germany reiterated its stance that it would not be able to contribute additional troops to southern Afghanistan.
With 3,200 soldiers on the ground in northern Afghanistan, Germany is the third-largest troops contributor to the International Security Assistance Force for Afghanistan, said German ambassador Matthias Hopfner.
"There's a very strong feeling in Germany that the German contribution to the Afghanistan mission is a very substantial contribution," Mr. Hopfner said.
"When it comes to so-called free riders that were mentioned yesterday, we do not really feel addressed by this kind of language. We would like to continue pointing at the contribution Germany is making in Afghanistan."
Mr. Hopfner was responding to comments made on Monday in Ottawa by visiting Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who accused some NATO countries of "free-riding" in Afghanistan.
Poland has contributed 1,600 troops to Afghanistan.
Three Canadian soldiers were slightly injured yesterday when their vehicle drove over an improvised explosive device just outside Zangabad village, a known Taliban haunt in Kandahar. The soldiers from an explosives ordnance unit hit the device while moving toward Zangabad in their Cougar, a large armoured bomb-hunting vehicle.
Copyright © 2007 CanWest Interactive, a division of CanWest MediaWorks Publications, Inc.. All rights reserved.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Dion digs in on Afghan deadline
Meeting with pM; Liberal leader 'unwavering' on February, 2009
Juliet O'neill and Mike Blanchfield, Canwest News Service Published: Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Chris Wattie/Reuters
OTTAWA - Liberal leader Stephane Dion described his call for an end to the combat mission in Afghanistan in one year as "unwavering," after a 25-minute meeting with Stephen Harper yesterday.
If a compromise is in the works on the future of the mission, neither leader said so immediately after the meeting held at Mr. Harper's request.
Mr. Harper reiterated the minority government's position that the combat mission should be extended only on condition 1,000 extra NATO troops, plus equipment, are provided, his press secretary said.
Mr. Dion, whose party will likely have the deciding vote on the future of the mission, because the Bloc Quebecois and New Democratic Party are certain to vote against an extension, planned to comment on the meeting after he consults his caucus today.
Earlier, he said he wanted to "explore" with Mr. Harper a non-combat role for the troops after February, 2009. And Liberal defence critic Denis Coderre said, "we're not going to negotiate" an extension, but "maybe we should take a look at the definition of [the mission] after February, 2009."
After the meeting, Mr. Dion's office said that "Mr. Dion made clear the Liberal party's long-standing position on the mission in Afghanistan, including our firm and unwavering belief that the combat mission in Kandahar must end by February, 2009."
Likewise, Mr. Harper's office said in a statement the Prime Minister "reiterated the government's position -- that we are adopting the bipartisan recommendations of the Manley panel -- and that if we are unable to secure extra combat troops and equipment, Canada will not be extending the mission in Afghanistan."
Mr. Harper continued to lobby NATO allies for more support in southern Afghanistan with a telephone call yesterday to French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
As he has done in calls this week to Washington, London and NATO headquarters, Mr. Harper told Mr. Sarkozy he would follow the recommendation of the Manley panel to extend the mission only if the alliance can find another 1,000 troops.
While Defence Minister Peter MacKay suggested this week that France might be willing to contribute more to southern Afghanistan, French officials were non-committal going into tomorrow's meeting of NATO defence ministers in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Meanwhile, Germany reiterated its stance that it would not be able to contribute additional troops to southern Afghanistan.
With 3,200 soldiers on the ground in northern Afghanistan, Germany is the third-largest troops contributor to the International Security Assistance Force for Afghanistan, said German ambassador Matthias Hopfner.
"There's a very strong feeling in Germany that the German contribution to the Afghanistan mission is a very substantial contribution," Mr. Hopfner said.
"When it comes to so-called free riders that were mentioned yesterday, we do not really feel addressed by this kind of language. We would like to continue pointing at the contribution Germany is making in Afghanistan."
Mr. Hopfner was responding to comments made on Monday in Ottawa by visiting Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who accused some NATO countries of "free-riding" in Afghanistan.
Poland has contributed 1,600 troops to Afghanistan.
Three Canadian soldiers were slightly injured yesterday when their vehicle drove over an improvised explosive device just outside Zangabad village, a known Taliban haunt in Kandahar. The soldiers from an explosives ordnance unit hit the device while moving toward Zangabad in their Cougar, a large armoured bomb-hunting vehicle.
Copyright © 2007 CanWest Interactive, a division of CanWest MediaWorks Publications, Inc.. All rights reserved.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
France, Australia to remain in Afghanistan as long as needed
There seems to be a big push propoganda-wise and otherwise to prop up the NATO mission in Afghanistan in the face of public opposition to the missions in many countries. Sarkozy is already a Bush buddy on many issues but Rudd has differences on Iraq and Kyoto. However, there are signs he wants to mollify Bush. Harper of course is gung ho for Afghanistan. His appointed or annointed panel will no doubt recommend something to his liking. It is in fact a sham and waste of time as the article I posted recently shows.
France, Australia vow to remain in Afghanistan as long as needed
Last Updated: Saturday, December 22, 2007 | 6:17 PM ET
CBC News
The new leaders of France and Australia toured Afghanistan separately on Saturday, with both men vowing to keep their troops in the war-torn country for as long as needed.
French president Nicolas Sarkozy, who was elected in May, met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul and told the Afghan leader that France has no plans to withdraw its 1,300 troops from Afghanistan.
A year ago, France withdrew 200 elite special forces from the country, raising questions about whether then president Jacques Chirac planned on withdrawing the entire French contingent.
Sarkozy told French media on Saturday that that is not the case.
"We did not want to give the signal of a withdrawal, which would have been a detestable signal at a time when we see the ravages that terrorism can do to the world," said Sarkozy, who was in Afghanistan for only six hours.
He suggested France might be sending combat instructors to the country soon to help train Afghan army and police officers.
"Afghanistan must not become a state that falls into the hands of terrorists," Sarkozy said. "A war, a war against terrorism, against fanaticism, is being played out here, that we cannot, that we must not lose."
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd also met with Karzai in Kabul. He said his country's 900 troops will remain in Afghanistan, even though Australia will pull its troops from Iraq by the middle of next year.
"We will be, as I said before, in this country, Afghanistan, for the long haul, and it's important for us to be here in partnership with countries from NATO," said Rudd, who was elected in November.
He said he would be encouraging other countries to continue or expand their commitment to Afghanistan and would be giving an aid package of $95 million US to reconstruction in the southern Uruzgan province, a volatile region where Australia's troops are stationed.
Australia and France's troops make up only a small portion of the more than 41,000 troops stationed in Afghanistan as part of NATO's International Security Assistance Force.
The U.S. contributes a bulk of the force, with some 26,000 Americans stationed in the country. Canada has about 2,500 soldiers in the country, most of them serving in the violent south.
Canada, the U.S. and NATO officials have complained that some NATO countries aren't sharing as much of the responsibility in Afghanistan as others.
France, for example, has been criticized for keeping its troops in relatively peaceful parts of Afghanistan, while others countries, like Canada, are serving in provinces where violence occurs regularly and casualties are a frequent reality.
France, Australia vow to remain in Afghanistan as long as needed
Last Updated: Saturday, December 22, 2007 | 6:17 PM ET
CBC News
The new leaders of France and Australia toured Afghanistan separately on Saturday, with both men vowing to keep their troops in the war-torn country for as long as needed.
French president Nicolas Sarkozy, who was elected in May, met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul and told the Afghan leader that France has no plans to withdraw its 1,300 troops from Afghanistan.
A year ago, France withdrew 200 elite special forces from the country, raising questions about whether then president Jacques Chirac planned on withdrawing the entire French contingent.
Sarkozy told French media on Saturday that that is not the case.
"We did not want to give the signal of a withdrawal, which would have been a detestable signal at a time when we see the ravages that terrorism can do to the world," said Sarkozy, who was in Afghanistan for only six hours.
He suggested France might be sending combat instructors to the country soon to help train Afghan army and police officers.
"Afghanistan must not become a state that falls into the hands of terrorists," Sarkozy said. "A war, a war against terrorism, against fanaticism, is being played out here, that we cannot, that we must not lose."
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd also met with Karzai in Kabul. He said his country's 900 troops will remain in Afghanistan, even though Australia will pull its troops from Iraq by the middle of next year.
"We will be, as I said before, in this country, Afghanistan, for the long haul, and it's important for us to be here in partnership with countries from NATO," said Rudd, who was elected in November.
He said he would be encouraging other countries to continue or expand their commitment to Afghanistan and would be giving an aid package of $95 million US to reconstruction in the southern Uruzgan province, a volatile region where Australia's troops are stationed.
Australia and France's troops make up only a small portion of the more than 41,000 troops stationed in Afghanistan as part of NATO's International Security Assistance Force.
The U.S. contributes a bulk of the force, with some 26,000 Americans stationed in the country. Canada has about 2,500 soldiers in the country, most of them serving in the violent south.
Canada, the U.S. and NATO officials have complained that some NATO countries aren't sharing as much of the responsibility in Afghanistan as others.
France, for example, has been criticized for keeping its troops in relatively peaceful parts of Afghanistan, while others countries, like Canada, are serving in provinces where violence occurs regularly and casualties are a frequent reality.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Stay the Course, NATO urges Canada
Nice that Canadian taxpayers fund a Canadian Forces Airbus to ferry NATO bigwigs about in style. The visitors also get a demonstration from the Snowbirds! Apparently no one worries about military fuel use or pollution by excessive use of fuel on behalf of the military.
Although NATO does not enter the debate they make sure they inform us of their point of view. I think the term: Stay The Course was patented by Bush on Iraq but no doubt it lapsed from disuse. Notice that Henault did not use the phrase!
Stay the course, NATO urges Canada
Top military officer hopeful Ottawa will extend commitment beyond February, 2009
ALAN FREEMAN
From Friday's Globe and Mail
September 7, 2007 at 5:02 AM EDT
OTTAWA — NATO's top military officer says that it's up to Canada to decide whether it wishes to maintain combat troops in Afghanistan, but he added that he hopes the Canadian government will continue its involvement in NATO's Afghan mission beyond February, 2009.
General Ray Hénault, the Canadian who chairs NATO's military committee, said it is important to "stay the course" in Afghanistan, calling it "a long-term mission" with no way to predict its length.
The general was speaking at the start of a four-day visit to Canada by the top soldiers from the 26 members of the alliance who make up the NATO Military Committee.
"We're very conscious of the fact that several members of the alliance are discussing their participation in the Afghanistan mission," Gen. Hénault said at a news conference after arriving aboard a Canadian Forces Airbus from Brussels, accompanied by the defence chiefs. "We try to adapt as well as possible to the changing circumstances of different nations."
Asked about the scheduled end of Canada's combat role in Kandahar in February, 2009, Gen. Hénault said it was still 1½ years way and "a lot of things can happen in 18 months."
The general, formerly Canada's chief of the defence staff, said that NATO would not get involved in the debate in Canada or other NATO countries over the future of their commitments. But he added, "We're certainly hopeful that Canada will find a way to continue to co-operate in Afghanistan because of what Canada represents in the international community."
The general and his colleagues - who were greeted at Ottawa International Airport by General Rick Hillier, Canada's Chief of the Defence Staff, a military band and a demonstration by the Snowbirds acrobatic airplane team - are meeting in Canada for the first time in a decade. This week's session is one of a series of three such gatherings that take place annually.
After a state dinner with Governor-General Michaëlle Jean in Ottawa, they move to Victoria for formal meetings, where they are due to discuss issues including training, resources and operational planning as well as NATO missions in Afghanistan, Kosovo and Darfur.
Gen. Hénault was peppered with questions about how NATO will react to the withdrawal of Canada's 2,500 combat troops from the volatile Kandahar region. The government has said repeatedly that this particular mission will end unless Parliament approves an extension, which seems unlikely, although a mission to a safer part of the country would be more palatable politically to the opposition Liberals.
The general was careful to say that the decision on troop deployment belongs to Canada alone, and he wouldn't be drawn into a discussion of who would replace the Canadians. The NATO force has 33,000 troops from 26 NATO countries and 11 partner nations operating in Afghanistan.
Asked about the Dutch government's review of its participation in the Afghan force, the general responded that "we're hopeful that they too will find ways of continuing to operate in Afghanistan."
He said that NATO was constantly assessing "force generation" issues, which involve matching available troops with needs in the field, but he would not say how much formal notice NATO needs before replacing the Canadians in Kandahar.
Although NATO does not enter the debate they make sure they inform us of their point of view. I think the term: Stay The Course was patented by Bush on Iraq but no doubt it lapsed from disuse. Notice that Henault did not use the phrase!
Stay the course, NATO urges Canada
Top military officer hopeful Ottawa will extend commitment beyond February, 2009
ALAN FREEMAN
From Friday's Globe and Mail
September 7, 2007 at 5:02 AM EDT
OTTAWA — NATO's top military officer says that it's up to Canada to decide whether it wishes to maintain combat troops in Afghanistan, but he added that he hopes the Canadian government will continue its involvement in NATO's Afghan mission beyond February, 2009.
General Ray Hénault, the Canadian who chairs NATO's military committee, said it is important to "stay the course" in Afghanistan, calling it "a long-term mission" with no way to predict its length.
The general was speaking at the start of a four-day visit to Canada by the top soldiers from the 26 members of the alliance who make up the NATO Military Committee.
"We're very conscious of the fact that several members of the alliance are discussing their participation in the Afghanistan mission," Gen. Hénault said at a news conference after arriving aboard a Canadian Forces Airbus from Brussels, accompanied by the defence chiefs. "We try to adapt as well as possible to the changing circumstances of different nations."
Asked about the scheduled end of Canada's combat role in Kandahar in February, 2009, Gen. Hénault said it was still 1½ years way and "a lot of things can happen in 18 months."
The general, formerly Canada's chief of the defence staff, said that NATO would not get involved in the debate in Canada or other NATO countries over the future of their commitments. But he added, "We're certainly hopeful that Canada will find a way to continue to co-operate in Afghanistan because of what Canada represents in the international community."
The general and his colleagues - who were greeted at Ottawa International Airport by General Rick Hillier, Canada's Chief of the Defence Staff, a military band and a demonstration by the Snowbirds acrobatic airplane team - are meeting in Canada for the first time in a decade. This week's session is one of a series of three such gatherings that take place annually.
After a state dinner with Governor-General Michaëlle Jean in Ottawa, they move to Victoria for formal meetings, where they are due to discuss issues including training, resources and operational planning as well as NATO missions in Afghanistan, Kosovo and Darfur.
Gen. Hénault was peppered with questions about how NATO will react to the withdrawal of Canada's 2,500 combat troops from the volatile Kandahar region. The government has said repeatedly that this particular mission will end unless Parliament approves an extension, which seems unlikely, although a mission to a safer part of the country would be more palatable politically to the opposition Liberals.
The general was careful to say that the decision on troop deployment belongs to Canada alone, and he wouldn't be drawn into a discussion of who would replace the Canadians. The NATO force has 33,000 troops from 26 NATO countries and 11 partner nations operating in Afghanistan.
Asked about the Dutch government's review of its participation in the Afghan force, the general responded that "we're hopeful that they too will find ways of continuing to operate in Afghanistan."
He said that NATO was constantly assessing "force generation" issues, which involve matching available troops with needs in the field, but he would not say how much formal notice NATO needs before replacing the Canadians in Kandahar.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Casualties begin to unravel Afghan force
Casualties are much more real to the public consciousness it seems than the lofty ideals that are always trotted out as reasons for the mission. The same tired phraseology is used after each casualty: the person believed in the mission, it would be wrong to pull out and: a) betray the people of Afghanistan (Iraq or wherever) b) leave Afghanistan (Iraq or wherever) to become a prey to i) chaos ii) terrorists iii) become a failed state. We are building a secure and democratic Afghanistan with the rule of law(Iraq or wherever) I am sure you could develop a simple computer program to spout out this stuff and dispense with commentators except to read the scripts.
Casualties begin to unravel Afghan force August 27, 2007
WASHINGTON: The US is worried about weakening Italian and German military commitments in Afghanistan as casualties mount in the International Security and Assistance Force, including the "friendly fire" incident on Friday that killed three British soldiers.
Debate is raging in Italy and Germany, and to a lesser extent in The Netherlands and Denmark, on whether they should remain in the ISAF, which is already grappling with a shortage of troops in the face of one of the most intense military engagements in decades.
"There is a good prospect that we are going to lose some" contributions from certain countries, a US administration official said, as European nations face votes at home on their reconstruction, military and training commitments in Afghanistan.
The NATO-led 37-nation ISAF and a separate US-led coalition, in total about 50,000 foreign soldiers, are together with Afghan security forces fighting to block the return to power of the Taliban after the hardline Islamic militia was ousted in late 2001.
But with the fighting at its toughest since then, Washington is deeply worried about eroding support for the effort.
"Italy and Germany are the ones that are of serious concern," the official added, citing Italy as "one that we are really concerned about".
With 2500 troops, Italy heads NATO's Herat-based regional command in western Afghanistan. Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema recently blamed a lack of co-ordination between US and ISAF forces for hundreds of Afghan civilian deaths, which he called "morally unacceptable".
In Germany, where polls show a strong 64 per cent majority calling for withdrawal, parliament would have to vote on whether to continue with commitments for reconstruction, military deployment and training of Afghan forces.
Germany has lost 25 soldiers, three police officers and four civilians in Afghanistan since 2002. The past month has been grim with the abduction by the Taliban of two German engineers, one of whom was shot dead. The other is reportedly ill and begging for his life.
Germany has contributed some 3000 troops to the NATO mission and has six Tornado reconnaissance planes helping to spot Taliban hideouts.
In The Netherlands, there is some unease about how long the Afghanistan effort will continue, but US officials believe cuts in the military deployment will be spared.
On Friday, three British soldiers were killed while fighting Taliban forces near Kajaki Dam in Helmand Province after being hit by a bomb dropped by a US fighter jet.
AFP
Casualties begin to unravel Afghan force August 27, 2007
WASHINGTON: The US is worried about weakening Italian and German military commitments in Afghanistan as casualties mount in the International Security and Assistance Force, including the "friendly fire" incident on Friday that killed three British soldiers.
Debate is raging in Italy and Germany, and to a lesser extent in The Netherlands and Denmark, on whether they should remain in the ISAF, which is already grappling with a shortage of troops in the face of one of the most intense military engagements in decades.
"There is a good prospect that we are going to lose some" contributions from certain countries, a US administration official said, as European nations face votes at home on their reconstruction, military and training commitments in Afghanistan.
The NATO-led 37-nation ISAF and a separate US-led coalition, in total about 50,000 foreign soldiers, are together with Afghan security forces fighting to block the return to power of the Taliban after the hardline Islamic militia was ousted in late 2001.
But with the fighting at its toughest since then, Washington is deeply worried about eroding support for the effort.
"Italy and Germany are the ones that are of serious concern," the official added, citing Italy as "one that we are really concerned about".
With 2500 troops, Italy heads NATO's Herat-based regional command in western Afghanistan. Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema recently blamed a lack of co-ordination between US and ISAF forces for hundreds of Afghan civilian deaths, which he called "morally unacceptable".
In Germany, where polls show a strong 64 per cent majority calling for withdrawal, parliament would have to vote on whether to continue with commitments for reconstruction, military deployment and training of Afghan forces.
Germany has lost 25 soldiers, three police officers and four civilians in Afghanistan since 2002. The past month has been grim with the abduction by the Taliban of two German engineers, one of whom was shot dead. The other is reportedly ill and begging for his life.
Germany has contributed some 3000 troops to the NATO mission and has six Tornado reconnaissance planes helping to spot Taliban hideouts.
In The Netherlands, there is some unease about how long the Afghanistan effort will continue, but US officials believe cuts in the military deployment will be spared.
On Friday, three British soldiers were killed while fighting Taliban forces near Kajaki Dam in Helmand Province after being hit by a bomb dropped by a US fighter jet.
AFP
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)