男女羞羞视频在线观看,国产精品黄色免费,麻豆91在线视频,美女被羞羞免费软件下载,国产的一级片,亚洲熟色妇,天天操夜夜摸,一区二区三区在线电影
  Home>News Center>World
         
 

U.S. said to maintain role in Afghanistan
(AP)
Updated: 2005-09-14 20:31

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld pledged Wednesday that U.S. military forces "will continue to play a strong role" in Afghanistan even after NATO allies expand their peacekeeping operation across the country next year, the Associated Press reported.


U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld gestures while speaking during a media conference after a NATO defense ministers meeting in Berlin, Wednesday Sept. 14, 2005. NATO defense ministers on Wednesday will discuss expanding the Afghan mission so that allied troops, mostly from Europe and Canada, could replace U.S. units who have been fighting the remnants of the Taliban. [AP]

At the conclusion of a two-day NATO meeting, Rumsfeld took reporters' questions about the American presence there but stoutly avoided getting into any specifics about force levels.

"U.S. forces will of course continue to play a strong role," he said.

Asked about reports the Bush administration wants to slash the U.S. military presence there by as much as 20 percent, Rumsfeld told a news conference that "the only people who are going to increase or decrease U.S. forces in Afghanistan will be the president of the United States or me."

Rumsfeld said that U.S. officials are constantly assessing and reassessing troop levels and said that they have been raising or lowering the U.S. military presence as required and necessary.

"If and when there's any decision to decrease forces," he said, "I will announce it."

Both The New York Times and The Washington Post reported in Thursday's editions that the administration was considering cutting the troop strength there by as much as 20 percent.

Rumsfeld said Tuesday that NATO should ultimately take over anti-terrorism operations and drug interdiction in Afghanistan, now handled by the U.S.-led coalition, but he refused to set a timetable for drawing down American troops.

More detailed talk was stifled by fears about increased violence accompanying parliamentary elections in Afghanistan scheduled for this coming weekend, as well as the upcoming elections in Germany, where some have openly opposed any increased combat missions for NATO.

Rumsfeld dismissed as "much ado about nothing" reported divisions among the alliance countries over whether NATO should work toward a unified peacekeeping and military command structure.

During the meetings, Rumsfeld urged his defense counterparts to find ways to increase the military flexibility of NATO's forces and the financing for the alliance. Several countries put limits on the military activity their forces can engage in as part of NATO, such as limiting where they can go or what type of combat force they can use.

"I personally am encouraged by the enduring effort to make the alliance a more flexible and more capable force," Rumsfeld said.

There will be a "unity of effort if not a unity of command," he said.

Afghanistan's elections come four years after the U.S. invaded the country to overthrow the Taliban. Insurgents have vowed to disrupt the balloting.

NATO has 11,000 mostly European troops providing security in northern and western Afghanistan. Around 19,000 U.S.-led troops cover the south and east.

The alliance plans to expand slowly its peacekeeping role and eventually take primary responsibility for security in the country. Thirty-five countries have troops in Afghanistan, including a number of non-NATO nations.

Under the NATO plan, German troops will take the lead role in the north, Italians in the west, British in the south and Americans under NATO command in the east. French and Turkish troops will lead in Kabul — working alongside Afghanistan's fledgling army and police.

Meanwhile, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said the U.S.-led coalition needs to reconsider the way it is fighting Taliban-led rebels. His comments came after six months of fierce battles that have left more than 1,200 dead. He suggested combating the problem where "terrorists are trained" but declined to elaborate.

Afghan officials say many insurgents train in secret bases in neighboring Pakistan, despite denials from Islamabad.



Suicide bombing kills at least 114 in Iraq
Afghanistan's President calls for increased support
Hurricane Ophelia
 
  Today's Top News     Top World News
 

President Hu: China to work with US on trade gap

 

   
 

China may raise cap on foreign investment

 

   
 

UN refuses Taiwan's representation

 

   
 

Bombs, gunmen kill over 150 in Baghdad

 

   
 

al-Qaida said responsible for car blast

 

   
 

Chinese group buys Ecuador oil assets

 

   
  U.S. said to maintain role in Afghanistan
   
  US, North Korea to meet one-on-one during nuclear talks
   
  al-Qaida said responsible for car blast
   
  Bombs, gunmen kill over 150 in Baghdad
   
  Louisiana deaths at 423; facility owners charged
   
  4th draft could lead to agreement - Hill
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  News Talk  
  Are the Republicans exploiting the memory of 9/11?  
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 义马市| 安阳市| 长子县| 张家川| 威远县| 盐山县| 齐齐哈尔市| 阿拉尔市| 北海市| 乌审旗| 西乌珠穆沁旗| 淳安县| 靖江市| 伊金霍洛旗| 修武县| 连云港市| 黑水县| 乌兰察布市| 东丽区| 河北省| 连江县| 郸城县| 博湖县| 晋江市| 榆社县| 西乡县| 上杭县| 德清县| 若羌县| 龙岩市| 孝感市| 通道| 绍兴县| 金昌市| 北流市| 修文县| 鹤壁市| 深水埗区| 元朗区| 清水县| 通渭县| 通山县| 五家渠市| 洛浦县| 林州市| 冀州市| 鹤峰县| 楚雄市| 宁海县| 剑河县| 资中县| 喀喇| 郓城县| 岑巩县| 清远市| 安丘市| 曲靖市| 定结县| 邛崃市| 南投市| 天全县| 玉龙| 开江县| 阿勒泰市| 城固县| 策勒县| 察哈| 蒙自县| 新营市| 清镇市| 和龙市| 吉安县| 修文县| 纳雍县| 加查县| 鲁山县| 营口市| 临邑县| 永泰县| 太湖县| 广德县| 固镇县|