NATO foreign ministers were slow to respond Friday to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's pledge in Brussels of $10.6 billion more aid for Afghanistan.

At a meeting, Rice said the international effort in Afghanistan needs more financial and military commitment, The Washington Post reported.

"Nations that have made pledges of support should follow through and deliver," Rice said.

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said more countries "are stepping up to the plate." But he did not provide specific examples beyond the United States.

The NATO force numbers 33,250, 12,000 of them from the United States. Another 10,600 U.S. soldiers are deployed in Afghanistan outside of NATO command.

NATO officials said Lithuania and Denmark have offered small numbers of additional troops.

The Bush administration is concerned about the revival of the Taliban and wants to increase forces there before mountain passes open in the spring. // Copyright 2007 by United Press International


Publication date: 26 January 2007   

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