Rice to Press NATO Allies for More Money for Afghan Security
26 January 2007
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is due in Brussels Friday to press America's NATO allies for more money to battle the resurgent Taleban in Afghanistan.
U.S. officials say Rice will brief NATO foreign ministers on a newly-proposed $10.6 billion U.S. aid package for Afghanistan, and ask NATO for a similar commitment. The U.S. aid is intended to bolster Afghan security forces facing increased fighting by the Taleban, which U.S. officials expect to mount a new offensive in a few months when spring arrives.
Rice also may press America's NATO allies to remove conditions that prevent their troops from deploying to the most dangerous parts of Afghanistan where the Taleban has made its strongest advances in the last year.
Rice said Thursday on her flight to Belgium that the challenges of the last several months have demonstrated that Washington must redouble its efforts in Afghanistan to halt a Taleban resurgence.
The proposed additional $10.6 billion in U.S. funds for military and reconstruction aid in Afghanistan would be used over the next two years. Most of the money would be used to train and equip Afghan security forces.
If approved, the new aid package would represent a significant increase in U.S. assistance for Afghanistan. The United States has spent just over $14 billion on Afghanistan since ousting the Taleban from power in late 2001.
Earlier this week, the Defense Department said it is adding four months to the tours of duty for 3,500 elite U.S. Army soldiers serving in Afghanistan. The NATO commander for Afghanistan General David Richards said he expects to add another 3,500 troops.
There are currently more than 23,000 U.S. troops, and 34,000 NATO troops in the country.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, Reuters and AP
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