*Ø* Karzai Presses NATO to Boost Afghan Peace Force
"ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai pressed NATO Tuesday to rush troops to his country to secure September elections, embarrassing alliance members reluctant to provide the forces for the mission.
"NATO agreed Monday to add roughly 1,500 troops to its 6,500-strong peacekeeping force for the polls, but it has drawn criticism for restricting its deployment to Kabul and the relatively stable north of the violence-plagued country ...
"President Bush had hoped the summit of 26 leaders would showcase renewed transatlantic unity to combat domestic criticism in a presidential election year that he took his country to war in Iraq without international backing.
"But France spoiled the mood, insisting the deal agreed on Monday to train the forces of Iraq's new interim government should not mean a formal role for NATO within Iraq itself.
"The Iraq training deal is much more modest than the troop deployment Washington had initially sought from the alliance, which was scotched by French and German resistance. [my emphasis - N]
"French President Jacques Chirac, Europe's fiercest critic of last year's US-led invasion of Iraq, also criticized Bush's support for Turkey's bid to join the European Union, saying it was none of his business."
Full text
"ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai pressed NATO Tuesday to rush troops to his country to secure September elections, embarrassing alliance members reluctant to provide the forces for the mission.
"NATO agreed Monday to add roughly 1,500 troops to its 6,500-strong peacekeeping force for the polls, but it has drawn criticism for restricting its deployment to Kabul and the relatively stable north of the violence-plagued country ...
"President Bush had hoped the summit of 26 leaders would showcase renewed transatlantic unity to combat domestic criticism in a presidential election year that he took his country to war in Iraq without international backing.
"But France spoiled the mood, insisting the deal agreed on Monday to train the forces of Iraq's new interim government should not mean a formal role for NATO within Iraq itself.
"The Iraq training deal is much more modest than the troop deployment Washington had initially sought from the alliance, which was scotched by French and German resistance. [my emphasis - N]
"French President Jacques Chirac, Europe's fiercest critic of last year's US-led invasion of Iraq, also criticized Bush's support for Turkey's bid to join the European Union, saying it was none of his business."
Full text
Nora posted item above at 12:50 AM | Permalink
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home