NATO in Afghanistan till 2015 (merged thread)

[SWJED]

29 September USA Today - Nations Limit Use Of NATO Forces by Jim Michaels.

Countries sending their troops to Afghanistan have placed a web of restrictions on how they can be used, creating headaches for combat commanders and hurting the coalition's ability to fight a resurgent Taliban.

The restrictions, also called caveats, vary and are imposed by governments who fear casualties or don't agree with all parts of the mission. Other caveats are due to a lack of training or equipment.

The result is some forces can't fight at night or in the most dangerous parts of Afghanistan...

Some restrictions

Germany (2,300 troops): No combat.

Netherlands (1,400 troops): No ground combat.

Others (identities classified by Pentagon): No night fighting.

[Jedburgh]

ISN, 23 Oct 06: Perspectives: Insurgency in Afghanistan

NATO's mission in southern Afghanistan, the alliance's first land deployment outside Europe, is proving its toughest yet. NATO's command has set a six-month deadline to wipe out the Taliban insurgency in order to work toward its original goals, hoping to reverse the situation before the onset of winter. Much is now riding on NATO's ability to see its mission through, and many experts agree that Afghan stability will depend on the alliance's success in the southern region. NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer warned that without greater international help, Afghanistan could again become a breeding ground for terrorists.

Violence in Afghanistan continues to escalate, and is said to be worse than at any time since US-led forces invaded the country in 2001 to remove the Taliban. As such, NATO's mission has seen its mandate and its rules of engagement expanded well beyond the original duties of peacekeeping.

Complicating matters, last week, air strikes by NATO helicopters hunting Taliban fighters tore through three homes in southern Afghanistan as villagers slept, killing at least nine civilians, including women and children, according to news agency reports. Residents of the village of Ashogho condemned the attack. At around the same time on Wednesday morning, a rocket struck a house in a village to the west, killing 13 people. The strikes come at a time when NATO was counting on local support for the counterinsurgency.

Is NATO capable of handling the counterinsurgency in Afghanistan or will troops be there for two more decades, as one British military official opined recently, thanks to the sidelining of the Afghan mission because of the invasion of Iraq?

ISN Security Watch asked you to share your views on NATO's mission in Afghanistan...

Some interesting commentary follows...