France Pledges More Troops To Fight Taliban

Team Infidel

Forum Spin Doctor
Financial Times
April 4, 2008 By James Blitz and Stephen Fidler
France on Thursday announced it would be sending 700 additional combat troops to Afghanistan before the end of the year, in a move that will help relieve immediate pressures on the Nato force fighting the Taliban.
On a day that saw the alliance pledging its “firm and long-term commitment” to the Afghan government, President Nicolas Sarkozy’s announcement has helped the alliance to fend off a crisis that could have seen Canada leaving the mission.
Mr Sarkozy announced that a battalion of French forces would be sent to eastern Afghanistan, a region under US command.
France also said it would also take command of Nato troops in the central region of the country around Kabul this summer. It already has 1,430 troops as part of the 47,000 strong Nato contingent. The French move will allow US troops in the east of Afghanistan to be redeployed to the south. This, in turn, will help to provide 1,000 troops in support of Canadian forces.
Canada has for some time been insisting on this level of support as a condition for keeping its 2,500 troops, based in the Taliban heartland of Kandahar, in the country. Stephen Harper, prime minister, said that Canada’s conditions for staying in the country until 2011 had been satisfied. As well as the extra troops, Canada has said it needed more unmanned aircraft and helicopters to be sent.
Eighty-one Canadian soldiers and one diplomat have been killed in Afghanistan, a higher proportion of casualties than any other Nato country. Mr Harper, who presents his country as an emerging “energy superpower” and potential global leader, has made Afghanistan the cornerstone of efforts to boost the country’s clout in world affairs.
He won backing from Canada’s legislature last month to extend the mission for two years past a February 2009 deadline, on the condition that Nato provided more troops and equipment.
Mr Sarkozy’s new commitment on troop deployment placed him centre stage at the summit, allowing him to reaffirm his goal of returning France to the integrated military command from which General Charles de Gaulle withdrew four decades ago.
A number of other governments, including Romania and Georgia, also said on Thursday they intend to send more troops to Afghanistan.
Nato military commanders say they require at a minimum three combat battalions, up to 3,000 troops, though commanders could use a lot more.
Nato leaders affirmed on Thursday what the alliance is calling “a comprehensive approach” to solving Afghanistan’s problems, one which covers both the security and humanitarian aspects of the mission.
 
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