Allies to announce extra troops for Afghanistan: Clinton

WASHINGTON, Dec 3, 2009 (AFP) - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton headed Thursday for talks with NATO allies in Brussels with high hopes that a number of them will soon announce plans to send more troops and other aid to Afghanistan.

Clinton, speaking to reporters on her plane before take-off from Washington, said she would also clarify to NATO foreign ministers what President Barack Obama means when he said US troops will begin withdrawing in 2011.


Obama announced Tuesday the dispatch of an extra 30,000 US troops to Afghanistan -- on top of 70,000 already there -- and has called on his North American Treaty Organization (NATO) partners to come up with 5,000-7,000 more.

Clinton presented a bright picture for cooperation in Afghanistan following "outreach" with allies conducted by US diplomats already in Brussels and by NATO Secretary General Fog Rasmussen.

"We are encouraged that we're going to, beginning tomorrow (Friday) but not ending tomorrow, have a number of public announcements about additional troop commitments, additional civilian assistance, and development aid as well," she said.

"The response has been positive," the chief US diplomat said.

"I've spoken to probably 20, 25 of my counterparts over the last week. And there is an understanding about the importance of the mission that the president has described," she said.

"There is a desire to be able to explain it to the publics of various countries, and to make sure that in coalition governments the political stars are in alignment to be able to announce additional commitments," Clinton said.

"But we feel good about it," she added.

Italy said Thursday it would send 1,000 extra soldiers to Afghanistan next year, after Albania offered 85, and Poland suggested it could send 600 more.

Mark Toner, a State Department spokesman, welcomed the move.

"Italy is playing a very vital role in Afghanistan. We support and appreciate their sacrifice and effort," he told reporters, citing appreciation for similar efforts by other allies.

"Any additional cooperation will be greatly appreciated," Toner said.

Germany extended for one year the mandate of its 4,300 contingent, the third largest in Afghanistan after the United States and Britain, but did not increase its numbers.

Germany and France have both said they will wait until a London conference on Afghanistan on January 28 to decide on further action.

In announcing the troop surge as part of his new strategy for Afghanistan, Obama also said US forces would begin to exit the eight-year war within 19 months.

But Clinton and other administration officials have since said a pullout depends on the situation on the ground, including whether considerable numbers of Afghan security forces are ready to take over US tasks.

"I think that there have been ... misunderstandings about what that date meant, which I hope we've cleared up in the last two days of testimony, and which I'll be more than happy to discuss with any of our partners in Brussels," she said.


by Olivier Knox
(c) 2009 AFP