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US boosts force fighting Taleban US to boost Afghan troops and aid
(about 2 hours later)
The United States has agreed to bolster the Nato forces fighting the Taleban and their allies in Afghanistan. The United States is planning to boost its spending in Afghanistan and says it is bolstering its military commitment to the country.
The Pentagon said 3,200 men of the 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division would stay on in the country for four months. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said President Bush would ask Congress for an extra $10.6bn to fund security and development in Afghanistan.
The Americans said the decision would enable Nato to "maintain the initiative and build upon the success achieved in promoting stability and security". Ms Rice made the announcement on the eve of a Nato meeting on Afghanistan in Brussels, which she is due to attend.
The announcement comes amid expectations that the Taleban will to mount a spring offensive. Earlier the Pentagon said thousands of US forces would stay on in Afghanistan.
It said 3,200 men of the 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division would remain in the country for an extra four months after their tour of duty is meant to end.
It comes amid expectations that the Taleban will try to mount a spring offensive.
The BBC's Rob Watson in Brussels says this latest push by Washington is motivated in part by a desire to show its Nato allies it is not abandoning Afghanistan despite its troubles in Iraq.
But, he adds, the US is also genuinely worried that Afghanistan could slip backwards without more commitment from the international community.
Rice plea
On her way to Brussels, Ms Rice told reporters $8.6bn of the extra money would be spent on reconstruction projects, while $2bn would go towards training and equipment for the Afghan security forces.
We want to and we should redouble our efforts Condoleezza RiceUS secretary of state The money would be spent over the next two years.
At the Brussels summit, Ms Rice will also press other Nato nations to do more in Afghanistan.
Our correspondent says the hastily arranged meeting of Nato foreign ministers was called for by Ms Rice to press the point home.
"The challenges of the last several months have demonstrated that we want to and we should redouble our efforts" in Afghanistan, she said.
The US has already committed some $14.2bn in aid to Afghanistan since the 2001 invasion which toppled the ruling Taleban regime.
'Maintaining initiative'
The aid plan for Afghanistan was unveiled as the US stepped up its military commitment to the country.
The Pentagon said keeping the troops on would enable Nato to "maintain the initiative and build upon the success achieved in promoting stability and security".
It comes only days after the Nato commander in Afghanistan, Gen David Richards, told a British newspaper he had "less troops than needed" to complete his task.It comes only days after the Nato commander in Afghanistan, Gen David Richards, told a British newspaper he had "less troops than needed" to complete his task.
Meanwhile US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said she plans to ask Congress for an extra $10.6bn in economic aid to the government of President Hamid Karzai, amid growing concerns about the increased level of violence and the political situation in the country. There are currently 24,000 US troops in the country, which make up the bulk of the foreign military presence.
Violent year
BBC World affairs correspondent Nick Childs says that, after the most violent year in the country since the US-led invasion in 2001, there is clearly concern in the Bush administration that, unless something is done, Afghanistan risks going the way of Iraq.
The Taleban are expected to mount a spring offensiveThere are currently 24,000 US troops in the country, who make up the bulk of the foreign military presence.
Nato commanders have said their forces were around 10% under strength due to some nations failing to make good on pledges to provide more troops.Nato commanders have said their forces were around 10% under strength due to some nations failing to make good on pledges to provide more troops.
Just under half the US force are part of the 31,000-strong Nato peacekeeping command - the rest are on a separate mission to hunt down al-Qaeda fighters.Just under half the US force are part of the 31,000-strong Nato peacekeeping command - the rest are on a separate mission to hunt down al-Qaeda fighters.
We want to have our own offensive, and it should be civilian and military, it should be broad gauged, it should be reconstruction, development, it should be counter-narcotics, and it should be security and military, as well. Kurt VolkerDep Ass Sec of State
Ms Rice is expected to press US allies to do more on the military and reconstruction fronts in Afghanistan at a meeting of Nato foreign ministers in Brussels on Friday.
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Volker told AFP news agency: "We want to have our own offensive, and it should be civilian and military, it should be broad gauged, it should be reconstruction, development, it should be counter-narcotics, and it should be security and military, as well.
"That's what she wants to talk about with her counterparts, to go through the various elements of what's needed in Afghanistan and go from a general level of political commitment to a concrete level of actual support."