General David Petraeus departs 10 Downing Street after holding talks with Gordon Brown. The general was behind the successful 'surge' strategy in Iraq Photo: AP General David Petraeus Applies Pressure For More Nato Troops In Afghanistan -- The Telegraph
The American military commander Gen David Petraeus stepped up the pressure for extra troops to fight in Afghanistan after British commanders ruled out reinforcements.
Speaking after talks with the Prime Minister, the American military chief bluntly called on Nato countries to contribute more to the Afghan campaign at a time when the Taliban are resurgent.
Gen Petraeus said it was up to Nato member states to reinforce Afghanistan. "Now it is up to national capitals and the alliance to determine how to generate the additional force," he said. "I think it is up to the coalition how to source the forces."
Standing next to the head of the Armed Forces Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, he said Britain had "responded with a very good contribution" by doubling its force in the last two years to 8,000.
It appears the Americans have accepted that efforts by the Pentagon to strong-arm the Ministry of Defence into sending an extra brigade into Helmand province have failed.
Earlier this month, the US defence secretary Robert Gates appeared to be pressuring the MoD into reinforcements after he said that it was his "understanding that the UK may increase the size of its force".
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My Comment: With cap in hand, the General is trying his best to evaluate the support from NATO members for a military campaign in Afghanistan. I am sure that he is receiving a lot of moral support .... and .... that's about it.
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