NATO forces in Afghanistan insufficient: Canada

Ottawa, July 19: NATO does not have enough troops in Afghanistan to accomplish the ''daunting challenge'' of stabilizing the impoverished nation, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said today.

Harper also repeated a complaint that Canada's 2,500-strong military mission was doing a disproportionate amount of the fighting against Taliban militants. Canada has lost 66 soldiers so far in Afghanistan.

''The level of troop commitments from NATO today (is) not sufficient to achieve the long-run objectives that the international community and NATO have set for themselves,'' he told reporters in Chile, where he is on an official visit.

''So, obviously, we want to encourage that participation, '' he said in remarks that were replayed on Canadian television.

Harper made his comments the same day that a British parliamentary committee said NATO nations were not giving enough support to the international force in Afghanistan.

''What I see is a growing concern of Canadians on the burden that we are carrying and the level of Canadian casualties. And let's be blunt about that I share that concern,'' said Harper.

Canada's mission is based in the southern city of Kandahar, a part of the country where the Taliban is strongest. Ottawa is unhappy that other NATO members have stationed their troops in more peaceful regions.

The Canadian mission is due to end in February 2009 and opposition parties in Parliament which control a majority of seats say they will not support an extension.

''Afghanistan is a daunting challenge but I think that if the international community works together we can make progress in that country to the point where it becomes irreversible and it becomes a functioning nation,'' said Harper.

On Sunday, an Ipsos-Reid poll for the CanWest chain of newspapers showed that support for the mission had slipped to 50 per cent from a high of 57 per cent at the end of 2006.

''I don't think it's actually an option for Canada or anybody else to simply close our eyes and pretend there aren't severe problems in other parts of the world,'' said Harper.

Reuters>