More European troops needed in Afghanistan

24 Oct, 2009

The Nato-led mission in Afghanistan required more European troops and could not be a "US-only" enterprise, United Nations envoy Kai Eide said on Friday. Eide, the UN's special representative to Afghanistan, said more international troops were necessary to provide security and to train Afghan army and police. "I do believe more troops will be needed," he told reporters at a Nato summit of defence ministers.
But Eide said it was important the mission not become an exclusively American endeavour. "I believe that this cannot be a US-only enterprise," Eide said. Out of more than 100,000 international forces in the Nato-led contingent, nearly 68,000 are Americans. "I do sincerely hope that they will also step up their efforts," he said of European governments.

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