Posted on 12/10/2007 5:21:57 AM PST by Clive
Canada continued to press some of its reluctant NATO allies Friday to contribute more to front-line fighting in southern Afghanistan, but had to settle for a few more Polish helicopters.
NATO foreign ministers ended their two days of meetings in Brussels on Friday by issuing a communique that stressed the need to more effectively deliver additional reconstruction help to legitimize the government of President Hamid Karzai, singling out the role of provincial reconstruction teams -- such as the one operated by Canada in Kandahar city -- as a crucial element.
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier also got behind a push to create a new "super envoy" to better focus the international efforts on Afghanistan.
But Mr. Bernier wasn't able to significantly break new ground in an area that is crucial to Canada and its British, American and Dutch allies: persuading some reluctant NATO allies to lift caveats, or restrictions, which prevent them from fighting in the south, where the Taliban insurgency is strongest and where casualties have been the greatest.
Canadian officials took some solace with wording in the ministers' final communique that said: "NATO will play its full role, but the burden should be shared accordingly."
NATO still was unable to find another 1,000 to 1,500 troops to join the ranks of 43,000 personnel from 39 countries.
It also needs more fixed-wing transports of the C-130 Hercules variety, and more helicopters despite Poland's new contribution.
Poland offered eight helicopters to the pool of NATO hardware, four of which to be used for transport and four as attack helicopters.
That is a key contribution for Canada especially because it could ease the threat posed to Canadian soldiers by improvised bombs placed by insurgents.
Canada's 2,500 troops don't have their own helicopters, which forces troops to rely on ground convoys to conduct operations and supply forward operating bases, making them vulnerable to roadside bombs.
A senior Foreign Affairs source in Brussels said: "The announced contribution of helicopters by Poland is certainly a step in the right direction."
Bernier, meanwhile, was a firm supporter of the move to create a new "super envoy" to better co-ordinate the military and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan.
Reports emerged in Britain that Lord Paddy Ashdown might get that job, after holding a similar position in Bosnia, but NATO officials would not confirm any names.
NATO spokesman James Appathurai acknowledged that "there is a need for greater co-ordination" in the international community on delivering aid, training the Afghan army and generally ensuring the continued health of the Karzai government.
Mr. Appathurai played down suggestions that increasing violence in the south means that NATO troops are losing ground to the Taliban.
He attributed the increase in violence to the fact that NATO troops have expanded to all areas of the country in the last 18 months and have clashed with the Taliban.
He said that is forcing the Taliban to rely more on guerrilla tactics such as improvised explosive devices.
"They (insurgents) cannot hold territory against international or Afghan forces," Mr. Appathurai said.
Ottawa Citizen
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Gee, you’d almost think that Europe was saving up troops for a new war (Kosovo, anyone?!)...
What was the nature of the agreement if everyone gets to make their own decisions about troop involvement anyway? Why have a treaty if no one is obligated to participate after the organization has decided to act?
If this is NATO, why are we still involved in that organization?
Nato is dead.
Once again it is the English speaking democracies on their own, fighting for the whole world's freedom.
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