Nato crisis grows over Afghan troops

[CHIMO]

Source: The Guardian

The US yesterday kept up pressure on Europe to contribute more troops to Afghanistan as Nato defence ministers met in Vilnius to discuss what officials now admit is a growing threat to the credibility of the alliance.

In Washington on Wednesday Gates told the House of Representatives' armed services committee that the alliance could split into countries that were "willing to fight and die to protect people's security and those who were not". He added: "My view is you can't have some allies whose sons and daughters die in combat and other allies who are shielded from that kind of a sacrifice."

However, defence officials said last night there was a growing realisation within Nato that there was a limit to what even more military manpower could achieve. Officials told the Guardian that burden-sharing should include financial and civil aid as much as military power.



Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/afghanistan/story/0,,2254383,00.html

[bemildred]

1. NATO needs to be disbanded.

We are long past that now. New situations require new solutions.

[unkachuck]

2. are some Natoinians....

....loosing their taste for Chimp War I?....gates and the boys must do a better job of spreading those contracts and profits around if they wish to keep our beloved European friends interested....

[DCKit]

7. Don't forget the malAdministration made it clear that those who weren't with U.S....

weren't getting any contracts. Once they got commitments, they then proceeded to freeze our "allies" out as well.

[TrogL]

3. As usual, no mention of Canada's contribution

No wonder we're pulling out.

[ixion]

4. willing to fight and die to protect people's security

by killing people.

Yeah, gee, that makes so much sense. :eyes:

[ConcernedCanuk]

5. We Canuks, as an ally, are obliged to help protect the USA from attack/invasion

.
.
.

USA is not under attack/invasion from any foreign nation that I know of.

The USA IS however, under attack from within (think PNACers)

So,

if anything,

we should be protecting the USA from itself?

Time to burn the WH

again . . .

[Lasher]

6. A Determined Rice, in Taliban Country, Exhorts NATO to Do More to Press the War

KABUL, Afghanistan — Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice ventured to Kandahar on Thursday, deep in the belly of the Taliban insurgency, in a surprise trip to southern Afghanistan to send a message that the United States and NATO will press the war here despite the increase in Taliban attacks.

In a coordinated visit with David Miliband, the British foreign secretary, Ms. Rice called on NATO members to increase the number of troops in Afghanistan, describing the war as a counterinsurgency led by NATO and the Afghan government that neither could afford to lose.

“Obviously, the Afghan government has responsibility, too,” Ms. Rice told reporters on the plane en route to Afghanistan. But, she added, “this is a two-way street and everybody has to step back and concern themselves with the Taliban.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/08/world/asia/08diplo.html?ex=1203138000&en=5366911d067105b0&ei=5043&partner=EXCITE

Don't you think maybe Condi and Junior should have concerned themselves with the Taliban and bin Laden before rushing off on President Cheney's adventure in Iraq?

[SpiralHawk]

8. "We're sick of following Commander AWOL, a congenital republicon liar." - NATO

"I mean, what do you take us for, complete suckers? We are unwilling to die in a phony war started and prosecuted by a republicon homelander who deserted his own National Guard unit? Screw that."

- NATO