NATO struggling to plug Afghan force shortfalls

MONS, Belgium Nov 22 (Reuters) NATO's top operational commander said today its force in Afghanistan faced troop shortages and diplomats doubted whether an alliance summit next week would plug the gaps.

NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe James Jones said the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was battling Taliban insurgents at 85 per cent of full strength despite his repeated calls for more troops and equipment.

''I continue to insist we need the additional 15 per cent,'' Jones told a news briefing at NATO's military headquarters in southern Belgium, saying this equated to a shortfall of 2,500 troops, helicopters, transport and reconnaissance capabilities.

''It's not a huge quantity but it makes a difference. I would be much happier with 85-90 per cent rather than 80-85 per cent,'' Jones said, adding that this did not include Poland's offer of 800 additional troops due to arrive in Afghanistan in January.

''If we're properly organised and we bring all elements of our efforts together in cohesion, we will win,'' he said. ''If we don't, it will be longer and it will be more difficult and it will be more costly.'' NATO leaders meeting in the Latvian capital Riga next week are due to commit the alliance to remaining in Afghanistan for the long haul, but diplomats played down prospects of nations adding to the 32,000 troops it currently has on the ground.

''It's not a quick fix or a pledging conference. That is not what this is about,'' said a senior NATO diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity.

''This is about the importance of staying the course and sending a very strong message to Afghans that we are with them for the long-term because their security is our security.'' U S Marine Jones was the NATO commander who in September highlighted attention on ISAF's troop shortages with an admission that NATO had underestimated the fierceness of resistance as alliance troops pushed into the heartland of the Taliban, ousted from power in 2001 by a U S-led invasion.

Aside from Poland's pledge of troops, a number of countries have reinforced contingents in the south but military sources say ISAF continues to lack the agility it needs on the ground.

Jones nonetheless argued that, despite taking casualties on its side, NATO had convincingly won a series of head-on battles with Taliban fighters in the past two months and predicted that they would return to traditional guerrilla tactics.

A top Taliban commander interviewed by Reuters on Wednesday rejected that interpretation, saying the Islamist group would begin a fresh offensive against foreign troops after the winter.

''The Taliban are drawing up our strategy for attacks on American and NATO occupation forces next summer ... The suicide and other attacks will intensify as the weather gets warmer,'' Mullah Dadullah said by telephone from an undisclosed location.

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