Robert Gates: US will not ask Britain to pledge more troops in Afghanistan; New British PM Cameron visits Kabul, reaffirms British support for Afghanistan;
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    • United States Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said that Obama administration would not ask Britain to pledge more troops in Afghanistan. At the same time, he expressed confidence in new British government led by Prime Minister David Cameron calling it "quite resolute with respect to Afghanistan." Gates made these remarks during his visit to London on June 7 where he met PM Cameron. Earlier, British Defence Secretary Liam Fox had expressed hope of speeding up the troops withdrawal process from Afghanistan.1 New British Prime Minister David Cameron visited Kabul on June 10 and met President Karzai. Cameron noted that this would be the “vital year” for the campaign against the Taliban. He however, clarified that British troops surge in Afghanistan is “not remotely on the U.K. agenda.” Cameron also pointed out, “No one wants British troops to stay in Afghanistan for a day longer than is necessary.”2

    In a meeting Defence ministers of the 46 ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) contributing nations at NATO headquarters in Brussels, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the alliance should start handing over security responsibility to Afghan forces "as soon as possible", hopefully by the end of the year. NATO chief said, "Afghanistan belongs to the Afghans. Transition to Afghan lead is not only desirable, it is inevitable."3

    Meanwhile, Foreign ministers of Turkey, Pakistan and Afghanistan held a close-door trilateral meeting in Istanbul on June 7 and discussed various security and anti-terrorism related issues. After the meeting, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said, "until our brothers in Afghanistan have welfare, stability and peace, these trilateral meetings will continue." However, he declined to give any detail information about discussions.4

    US special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke has said that the Afghan government must outline how international funding for so-called Afghanistan Peace and Reconciliation Programme which is meant for reintegration of Taliban militants, will be overseen before its utilization process begins. Holbrooke stated, "The details of how it will be administered and overseen are quite important to the donor governments so there is no question of the diversion of funds,".5

    At least 39 people were killed in a suicide attack on a wedding party, carried out by Taliban in Arghandab district of Kandahar province on June 9. Taliban stronghold Kandahar is set to be a place for a major operation led by NATO troops soon. Thousands of extra US troops with NATO forces have planned to launch the massive operation aimed at driving out the Taliban militants from Kandahar. Meanwhile, President Hamid Karzai has appealed to the community leaders in Kandahar to support the NATO operation in order to bolster security in Taliban stronghold and urged people to work with his government to "bring dignity back."6

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