NATO

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03 April 2008
NATO Pledges Long-Term Security Commitment to Afghanistan

By Merle D. Kellerhals, Jr.
Staff Writer

Washington –- The 26-nation NATO security alliance has pledged to provide a shared, long-term commitment to the security and economic prosperity of Afghanistan. "In helping the Afghan people build security today, we are defending our basic values we all share," an alliance communiqué says.

At the same time, France announced plans to send an additional battalion of troops to Afghanistan. Separately, Canada announced that it intends to keeps its current level of forces in Afghanistan.

As a consequence of France's announcement, the United States will be able to move a portion of its forces from the eastern part of Afghanistan to the south where there has been a greater amount of fighting, National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley said at an April 3 news briefing in Bucharest.

Hadley also said the United States has plans to make an additional contribution of troops for southern Afghanistan next year.

The continuing role of NATO in Afghanistan has been a central issue at the 2008 NATO Summit, and the United States has sought to have more members commit to sending additional forces. NATO currently leads a 47,000-strong international security force that includes approximately 19,000 U.S. combat forces.

The plan announced in the communiqué integrates political and military instruments to enhance the chances of achieving success, Hadley said. NATO leaders "recommitted in the strongest possible terms in the presence of [Afghan] President [Hamid] Karzai and the U.N. secretary-general [Ban Ki-moon] their commitment to the success of that mission."

A central objective is for the Afghan government to be able to extend the reach of good governance, reconstruction, and development throughout the country, the communiqué said.

NATO plans to provide sufficient resources to provide training teams and equipment necessary to field an 80,000-strong Afghan Army by 2010. At the same time, it plans to begin the gradual process of transferring lead security responsibility throughout the country to Afghan forces.

The communiqué also calls for enhanced coordination between NATO, the U.N. Mission in Afghanistan and the Afghan government. NATO pledged to provide all the Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) needed.

In addition, NATO calls on Afghanistan's neighbors to provide support of the government's efforts to build a stable country with secure borders.

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