NATO wants clarity in Afghanistan before troop move

[maddezmom]

Source: Reuters

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The head of NATO urged member states on Monday to boost their commitments to Afghanistan but said more clarity was needed in Afghan politics before the alliance decides on any substantial increase in troop levels.

Allegations of widescale fraud in Afghanistan's presidential election on Aug. 20. have caused political uncertainty and increased tension between President Hamid Karzai and Western countries that have troops fighting the Taliban.

The crisis has also complicated U.S. President Barack Obama's deliberations on whether to send thousands more troops to Afghanistan.

"I think it makes sense to pursue an approach in which we make sure we have clarification on the political situation in Afghanistan before we make final decisions on our strategy and troop numbers etcetera," NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told reporters.

Time was not on NATO's side, he said.



Read more: http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-43270720091019

[unhappycamper]

1. I'm glad someone wants clarity. n/t