Germany, France Told To Quit Hiding From The Taliban.
Do your fair share in Afghanistan, NATO told
Britain's NATO allies who refuse to fight in Afghanistan were accused yesterday of causing "huge resentment" and a sense of betrayal among UK forces.
With four British soldiers killed within the last week, and the Taliban expected to launch a Spring offensive, senior military figures have called for NATO forces to contribute more or risk fracturing the alliance.
The 60-year-old coalition has come under pressure as countries such as Britain, America and Canada continue to shoulder the burden of the fighting, while others such as Germany and France have held their troops back.
Commanders are angry that despite pleas for reinforcements or to have "operational caveats" removed, some countries are still not heeding their requests.
Tony Blair yesterday failed to win a pledge of more fighting troops after he called for European allies to commit to a "maximum collective effort" during a summit in Brussels.
The example of German troops not being allowed to operate at night is one of many caveats that have infuriated Britain's military leaders.
Lord Inge, who was head of the Armed Forces during the 1990s, told The Daily Telegraph that the limitations were making the alliance ineffective.
I guess this could be like ostriches with their head in the sand.
