More NATO troops will be on the ground in southern Afghanistan, including backup expected to ease Canada's burden in Kandahar, says the top alliance commander in the war-torn nation.
"We've now got a stabilized (situation),'' said British Gen. David Richards, who steps down as commander of the NATO force in Afghanistan on Feb. 4.
"I'm not saying we've won. We have a stabilized security situation across the south and in the east. We have a lot more to do but we've set the conditions for that.''
Richards also said it was "fantastic news" that NATO plans to deploy a mixed brigade of as many as 3,500 combat troops.
The boost in allied troops comes amid a recent warning from U.S. generals that Taliban insurgents are prepared to launch a spring offensive in southern Afghanistan.
Earlier this week, the Pentagon announced it was extending tours of 3,200 troops in Afghanistan.
At least one battalion, approximately 650 troops, of that group will form a so-called theatre reserve, said Richards.
Based in Kandahar, the soldiers will be called upon to respond to emergencies throughout the region.
In theory, this would allow Canadians to focus their attention on security and reconstruction.
Earlier on Friday, NATO foreign ministers agreed to increase military and economic assistance to Afghanistan after meeting in Brussels.
"The message has been clear that the international community intends to keep up the initiative in Afghanistan," NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said after talks between alliance foreign ministers in Brussels.
"That means more reconstruction, and we have heard more nations stepping up to the plate as far as their activities are concerned in the field of reconstruction and development," he said.
"Allies are going to step up their civilian, military and economic efforts, with increased pledges for funding... and more forces on the ground," AFP news agency quoted NATO spokesman James Appathurai as saying.
But it remained unclear which countries planned to contribute new troops.
In a curious twist, NATO headquarters released a summary of countries contributing troops to Afghanistan and listed Canada's anticipated commitment at 2,700 -- 200 more than the latest estimate from Ottawa.
The Canadian army had no explanation for the discrepancy.
Richards praised the Canadian contingent in Kandahar, saying "it's fantastic to see Canada taking such a leading role here.''
"Canada is way back at the top among those small number of countries that can confidently tackle the most demanding military tasks,'' he said.
U.S. boost
NATO members faced pressure Friday to pledge more aid to Afghanistan after the U.S. announced plans to boost funding to the region by US$10.6 billion.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made the funding announcement on the eve of the Friday meeting, making it clear she expected NATO allies to boost their commitment as well.
She said the Bush administration would ask Congress for $8.6 billion to help train and equip Afghan army and police and $2 billion for reconstruction efforts.
"We need greater commitments to reconstruction, to development, to fight the poppy economy. We need additional forces on the ground -- ready to fight," Rice said in a prepared text of her remarks.
Of the 32,000 NATO troops in Afghanistan, the U.S. supplies about 11,800 while the Europeans provide most of the rest.
NATO is attempting to refocus the mission in Afghanistan by ensuring that military action in the country is quickly followed up by development projects meant to win over support of the local population.
The Taliban reemerged in 2006 causing the bloodiest year since the U.S.-led invasion toppled the Islamic regime in 2001.
The tribal areas of Pakistan along the Afghanistan border are seen as a sanctuary for al Qaeda and Taliban fighters.
Rice initiated the quickly arranged meeting of the NATO foreign ministers to help prepare for an anticipated spring offensive by the Taliban.
NATO commanders want to preempt an offensive by driving Taliban fighters out of hiding early. But they say they are about 20 per cent short of requirements and are calling for more troops and helicopters.
Troops deter Taliban
Meanwhile, a U.S. general held a press conference on Friday, saying that coalition forces in Afghanistan have been successful in deterring the Taliban from achieving any goals over the past year.
"Progress quietly proceeds here in Afghanistan, and we see this in both counter-insurgency and development," U.S. Maj. Gen. Benjamin Freakly told reporters.
"Reporting acts of violence continues to make news in the United States, but significant good news are often overlooked."
U.S.-led coalition forces made great progress in the creation of a "stable, secure, and viable nation-state in Afghanistan," despite the Taliban's attempts to impede those efforts, he said.
"2006 was without a doubt a year the Taliban hoped to achieve decisive victory by fracturing the 37 nations that are here, by isolating the Afghan government, and by seizing Kandahar as their stronghold to mount a campaign to topple the freely elected democratic government of President (Hamid) Karzai," Freakly said.
"They achieved none of their objectives."
In contrast, however, the international community has worked with the Afghan government to develop infrastructure, he said.
Many fear a new spring offensive hat will test NATO's staying power, but not Richards.
He dismissed suggestions Taliban militants have the strength to launch a renewed assault.
Richards told reporters that he expects only hit-and-run terrorist attacks using suicide bombers and improvised explosives.
"We've now got a stabilized (situation),'' said Richards.
"I'm not saying we've won. We have a stabilized security situation across the south and in the east. We have a lot more to do but we've set the conditions for that.''
With a report from CTV's Paul Workman in Kandahar and files from The Associated Press
