'immoral': Danish response to Nato in Afghanistan

Danish Defence Minister Soren Gade said: "It is also immoral if we as NATO countries send young soldiers to Afghanistan risking their lives and we have nothing else to offer other than a military presence."

Troop deficit in Afghanistan endangering soldiers: NATO chief
Feb 13,

MONS, Belgium (AFP) -NATO nations are putting the lives of their soldiers in danger in Afghanistan by refusing to provide enough troops to fight off the Taliban, the alliance's military chief warned.

"If you don't source this to 100 percent," said NATO military commander US General Bantz Craddock, "it places every NATO soldier there at greater risk."

Speaking to reporters at NATO military headquarters in Mons, southern Belgium, Craddock said that military needs -- known as the joint statement of requirements -- are "probably filled to 93 or 94 percent."

"I want full sourcing of the combined joint statement of requirements: 100 percent," he said.

In Spain on Thursday, Craddock urged NATO defence ministers to provide two more battalions and important support forces to put down the resistance of the Taliban, whose attacks increased four-fold last year.

But some of the alliance's 26 member countries insisted that it was vitally important to focus on reconstruction, and not just security, to provide hope for ordinary Afghans.

Danish Defence Minister Soren Gade said: "It is also immoral if we as NATO countries send young soldiers to Afghanistan risking their lives and we have nothing else to offer other than a military presence."

NATO has, since 2003, been leading the 35,000-strong International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which draws forces from 37 nations and has been trying to broaden the influence of Afghanistan's weak central government.

Denmark is among the biggest contributors per capita.

Craddock said Tuesday that it was also important for countries to lift their caveats, or restrictions they place on the use of their soldiers, which deprive commanders of the flexibility to re-deploy troops easily in times of combat.

"If we can't have full sourcing, then let's get rid of the caveats so the commanders on the ground have flexibility and they have the ability to provide the best response possible," he said.

"The worst case is to not source the requirement and put restraints on commanders for the use of the forces," he warned.

Craddock said he remained optimistic that nations would come forward and noted that "small contributions of an enabling nature can be very significant."

NATO has struggled for about a year to find helicopters, aircraft and logistics experts -- worth a combined total of some 1,500 personnel -- to deal with the insurgency.

He said that if Canada, which plays a major combat role in the south, were to pull out of Afghanistan, as urged by a parliamentary report if the allies do not find more troops, it would leave ISAF in a "terrible situation."

"We would not want that to happen," he said.