bobdina
12-03-2009, 08:42 AM
Where Are The EU?
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Source: The Sun Online
Gordon Brown yesterday demanded that our war-shirking Euro allies follow Britain and America's lead - and send more troops to defeat the Taliban. The PM ratcheted up the pressure on other major Nato nations after President Barack Obama unleashed a fresh surge of 30,000 US soldiers.
And Mr Brown gave Germany, France, Italy and Spain until the end of next month to start sharing the burden.
While America and the UK have now sent 110,000 troops to Afghanistan, the 41 other coalition countries have managed just 27,874 between them.
The PM dispatched an extra 500 British soldiers on Monday bringing the UK contribution to more than 10,000.
Mr Brown said "I call on all our allies to unite behind President Obama's strategy.
"Britain will continue to play its full part in persuading other countries to offer troops. A vital next stage is the London conference on Afghanistan on 28 January, to which all coalition nations will be invited."
None of the four other major European countries have more than 4,300 servicemen each in the country. And all have banned their troops from fighting in the war-torn south.
The PM was echoing the challenge laid down by Mr Obama in a landmark TV broadcast setting out his new war strategy late on Tuesday.
He told America world security was at risk. Mr Obama said: "Our friends have fought and bled and died alongside us in Afghanistan. Now we must come together to end this war successfully.
"For what's at stake is not simply a test of Nato's credibility - what's at stake is the security of our allies, and the common security of the world."
He has asked Nato to come up with as many as 5,000 additional troops. Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen yesterday confirmed that is the number he expects to be sent in 2010.
Poland was the first to offer up more men yesterday, volunteering 600 soldiers.
But despite backing for the surge, Mr Obama faced criticism for setting a surprise early date of July 2011 for the beginning of a withdrawal.
The President, speaking at the US Army's elite West Point academy, said: "I have determined that it is in our vital national interest to send an additional 30,000 US troops to Afghanistan." But then added: "After 18 months our troops will begin to come home."
Among those to slam him was Republican presidential rival Senator John McCain.
He said: "A withdrawal date only emboldens al-Qaeda and the Taliban while dispiriting our Afghan partners."
Tory leader David Cameron also warned against setting a false timetable.
Mr Brown said handing over districts of Helmand to Afghan control did not mean soldiers could start to return. He said "We will stay and do the job that is necessary."
And British Army chief, General Sir David Richards, said his forces may remain in combat for five more years.
http://www.modoracle.com/news/detail.html?id=19393&refresh=E11A9580-98DC-4FC7-83D24E818112598E
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Source: The Sun Online
Gordon Brown yesterday demanded that our war-shirking Euro allies follow Britain and America's lead - and send more troops to defeat the Taliban. The PM ratcheted up the pressure on other major Nato nations after President Barack Obama unleashed a fresh surge of 30,000 US soldiers.
And Mr Brown gave Germany, France, Italy and Spain until the end of next month to start sharing the burden.
While America and the UK have now sent 110,000 troops to Afghanistan, the 41 other coalition countries have managed just 27,874 between them.
The PM dispatched an extra 500 British soldiers on Monday bringing the UK contribution to more than 10,000.
Mr Brown said "I call on all our allies to unite behind President Obama's strategy.
"Britain will continue to play its full part in persuading other countries to offer troops. A vital next stage is the London conference on Afghanistan on 28 January, to which all coalition nations will be invited."
None of the four other major European countries have more than 4,300 servicemen each in the country. And all have banned their troops from fighting in the war-torn south.
The PM was echoing the challenge laid down by Mr Obama in a landmark TV broadcast setting out his new war strategy late on Tuesday.
He told America world security was at risk. Mr Obama said: "Our friends have fought and bled and died alongside us in Afghanistan. Now we must come together to end this war successfully.
"For what's at stake is not simply a test of Nato's credibility - what's at stake is the security of our allies, and the common security of the world."
He has asked Nato to come up with as many as 5,000 additional troops. Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen yesterday confirmed that is the number he expects to be sent in 2010.
Poland was the first to offer up more men yesterday, volunteering 600 soldiers.
But despite backing for the surge, Mr Obama faced criticism for setting a surprise early date of July 2011 for the beginning of a withdrawal.
The President, speaking at the US Army's elite West Point academy, said: "I have determined that it is in our vital national interest to send an additional 30,000 US troops to Afghanistan." But then added: "After 18 months our troops will begin to come home."
Among those to slam him was Republican presidential rival Senator John McCain.
He said: "A withdrawal date only emboldens al-Qaeda and the Taliban while dispiriting our Afghan partners."
Tory leader David Cameron also warned against setting a false timetable.
Mr Brown said handing over districts of Helmand to Afghan control did not mean soldiers could start to return. He said "We will stay and do the job that is necessary."
And British Army chief, General Sir David Richards, said his forces may remain in combat for five more years.
http://www.modoracle.com/news/detail.html?id=19393&refresh=E11A9580-98DC-4FC7-83D24E818112598E