NATO ponders Afghanistan troop increase: Brown
Last Updated: Friday, November 13, 2009 | 10:36 AM ET
CBC News
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Friday that NATO countries might send 5,000 additional troops to Afghanistan.
Speaking during an interview with the BBC, Brown acknowledged that Britain must "adjust our approach" as casualties rise.
Brown's comments indicate that NATO seems to be willing to contribute more to Afghanistan at the same time that U.S. President Barack Obama considers whether to increase the size of the American military presence there.
Brown said the U.S. and the U.K. "need our other NATO allies to help" and that "we could probably get another 5,000 forces into Afghanistan."
The comments from the U.K. prime minister came on the same day that German Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, who is in Afghanistan visiting troops, said that Germany will send another 100 soldiers to Afghanistan in January.
Germany will send the troops to northern Afghanistan, where most of its 4,000 soldiers in the country are posted.
The defence minister said the extra forces will go to Kunduz province, an area that used to be relatively stable but has seen more militant activity in recent months.
Canada has said it will end its military mission in Afghanistan by the end of 2011. There are currently 2,800 Canadian soldiers stationed in Kandahar.
