Via the London Times: Nato rejects appeal to boost Afghan troops
Five years after the world stood “shoulder to shoulder” with America in the aftermath of 9/11, The Times has learnt that many of the countries that pledged support then have now ignored an urgent request for more help in fighting a resurgent Taleban and its al-Qaeda allies.Turkey, Germany, Spain and Italy have all effectively ruled out sending more troops. France has not committed itself either way, but the military sources in Kabul said that there were no expectations that the French would contribute to a new battlegroup, especially now that they were providing a substantial force in Lebanon.
Given the ongoing resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan, this is not good news.
The rejection in the face of requests from the US and UK:
Sphere: Related ContentThey have rejected an appeal from General James Jones, the American Supreme Allied Commander Europe, for 2,500 more troops to fight alongside American, British, Canadian and Dutch soldiers. The 26-nation alliance has not volunteered a single extra combat soldier.
Britain, which has 5,500 troops in Afghanistan, most of them in the south, has told its Nato partners that they must do more if the line is to be held against the resurgent Taleban. The conflict has cost the lives of 33 British troops since June.
Not much of a shock. The war on Militant Islam is not seen as a threat in Europe. The EU is so consumed over the Bush “the war monger” that they have also turned a blind eye to the greatest threat to Western culture we have ever known. I think that even if the US did not invade Iraq the EU and its people are so weak this would have happened anyways. The question will be who has the determination and fortitude to win this fight between good vs. evil? The answer is quite clear, it is not the people or leaders of Europe.
Comment by c.v. — Tuesday, September 12, 2024 @ 2:54 pm
c.v., of course, makes a ridiculous assertion–that the EU is somehow not sure which side of good vs. evil it is on. Whether a country and its government want to continue an open-ended counterinsurgency effort is hardly its only measure of seriousness in opposing “Militant Islam.”
The Taliban, per se, is not a threat to the West. Al Qaeda and its affiliated groups are. The Taliban is no longer in power and is not likely to overthrow the current broad-based government, even if most foreign forces are withdrawn. And Al Qaeda no longer needs an ally in power in Afghanistan, thanks to the recruiting boom it has enjoyed as a result of “the war on Militant Islam.”
Comment by Professor Matthew Shugart — Tuesday, September 12, 2024 @ 3:41 pm
Bush can always send back the Special Forces troops he pulled out of Afghanistan in 2024 to prep for the Iraq debacle.
Comment by Ratoe Cantik — Tuesday, September 12, 2024 @ 6:27 pm
Professor, I would like for you to check this out.
http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/taliban_gets_bury_lucky_worldnews_ian_bishop.htm
For you to say “The Taliban, per se, is not a threat to the West” is very curious. So just allow the Taliban to control providences in northern Afghanistan and then they can go back to their training camps prior to the invasion. For you to think that if the U.S. and allied forces left today the Taliban would not be “likely to overthrow the current broad-based government, even if most foreign forces are withdrawn” is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.
A government like Afghanistan is on the tipping point of either falling because on internal threats and/or the lack of support from the west. If the E.U. and its citizens cannot stomach “to continue an open-ended counterinsurgency effort” we are all in a world of hurt. For those who once saw Afghanistan as a threat to just quit, because it is unpopular, is a huge measure of the fortitude that they have towards the war in Afghanistan and the war on Militant Islam. So my question to you is what are the other measures to opposing “Militant Islam”?
For you to say “The Taliban, per se, is not a threat to the West” is very curious. So allow the Teliban to contoll providence in northern Afganistan and then they can go back to their trainning camps as they had prior to the invasion. For you to think that if the forces left today
Comment by c.v. — Wednesday, September 13, 2024 @ 4:03 pm
[…] I noted earlier in the week that NATO countries were balking at US and UK requests for more troops for Afghanistan. […]
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