Nato pledges 7,000 troops for Afghanistan
Nato allies pledge 7,000 extra troops for Afghanistan mission
Friday, 04, Dec 2009 06:32
By Matthew Champion.
Days after Barack Obama said 30,000 US troops would be deployed to Afghanistan his Nato allies have pledged a further 7,000.
Nato secretary general Anders Fogh Rasmussen told journalists after a meeting of alliance foreign ministers in Brussels that there would be "more to come".
Only 25 of Nato members have announced any potential reinforcements, with Italy leading the way with 1,000 soldiers.
"Nations are backing up their words with deeds," Mr Rasmussen said.
"At least 25 countries will send more forces to the mission in 2010. They have offered around 7,000 new forces with more to come. That is solidarity in action and it will have a powerful effect on the ground."
Britain has already pledged 500 extra troops for the mission in Afghanistan, but large nations such as France and Germany are yet to commit.
Poland has announced the deployment of 600 more troops, while non-Nato members Georgia and South Korea have announced 900- and 500-strong reinforcements.
With President Obama's announcement earlier this week and the number of other Nato troops being pledged today, there will be 140,000 western troops in Afghanistan by next year.