NATO to Contribute 5,000 Troops in Military Buildup in Afghanistan

NATO to Contribute 5,000 Troops in Military Buildup in Afghanistan

            NATO members, excluding the United States, have decided to contribute 5,000 additional troops in an effort to assist a military buildup in Afghanistan. 

            The pledge of additional NATO troops comes on the heels of US President Barack Obama calling for 30,000 additional troops to be sent to Afghanistan.

            NATO already has 47,000 military personnel in the area, but has decided to provide more assistance to the United States in ridding the area of al-Qaeda and Taliban forces.  The new NATO forces will join about 100,000 US troops once the buildup takes effect.

            NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen noted that the buildup was due, in part, to the popularity of Barack Obama's speech calling for a more allied and united front to fight terrorism.  Additionally, Australia's Kevin Rudd noted that the allied stance taken by Obama has led to a "credible strategy."

            The new allied approach to the war in Afghanistan will hope rid the area of terrorist insurgence and return power to the Afghan people by 2011, ending what has thus far been an 8 year long war.