Afghanistan mission
October 9, 2009
The United Nations Security Council has given its approval to extend the international military presence in Afghanistan for another year. But the routine vote comes amid continuing concerns about how to make better progress in the country.
The resolution, which passed unanimously on Thursday, stated that the council "recognizes the need to further strengthen ISAF to meet all its operational requirements, and in this regard calls upon member states to contribute personnel, equipment and other resources to ISAF."
After some debate, the adopted text also called for "continued enhanced efforts" to minimize civilian casualties, in light of criticism over bombing raids that killed noncombatants.
The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force authorized by the UN includes 67,700 troops from 42 countries. Germamy contributes 4,200 soldiers, making it the third-largest contributor after the US and UK.
The United States accounts for about two-thirds of the troops in the ISAF mission, and two thirds of the total foreign soldiers in Afghanistan, about 65,000.
US and NATO call for more international troops
U.S. General Stanley McChrystal, who commands both American and NATO troops in the country, has asked President Barack Obama for between 10,000 and 40,000 more troops.
On Wednesday, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said that Europe must redouble its efforts to share the burden of providing troops and resources for the Afghanistan mission.
Only the day before, the Dutch parliament had voted against keeping its troops there past 2010. And the death of a Spanish soldier on Wednesday has renewed the debate about its participation in the mission.
"It is important, not only for this operation, but also for the long-term health of transatlantic relationships, that non-US allies also find a way to contribute more," Rasmussen said Wednesday. He added that it was "a bit embarrassing" that the European Union had deployed fewer than 300 of 400 promised police trainers.
This has been the deadliest year yet for Western troops, with more than 400 deaths - more than in the first four years of the war combined. Thousands of Afghans have died in the conflict.
svs/Reuters/dpa/AFP
Editor: Andreas Illmer