Re-Americanization begins in Afghanistan

I think we have reached the tipping point. We have given up on NATO being more than an adjunct. They blinked.

President Bush promised NATO allies at a summit that ended in Bucharest, Romania, on Friday that the United States will increase forces in Afghanistan next year no matter what happens in Iraq, aides said.

Bush told a NATO session that included Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Thursday that the United States is committed to winning the war in Afghanistan and will be even after he leaves office in January. His vow came as European allies agreed to supply nearly 2,500 more troops themselves to join 3,500 additional U.S. Marines sent by Bush.
...
The White House said about a dozen countries offered more help, although many will provide trainers or civilians, not combat forces. France, Britain, Poland, Romania, Spain and others committed to send 2,000 to 2,500 troops, according to the White House.

The most important contribution came from France, which pledged 700 to 1,000 troops for eastern Afghanistan, freeing more U.S. troops to head to the volatile south to reinforce the Canadians. The redeployment will satisfy Canadian demands and prevent Ottawa from withdrawing as it had threatened to do.

In the end, no one would send help to Canada ... but the USA. Canada will remember. Noted.

France is going to RC (E) so we can do that - the South is more dangerous and the East (now) - I won't ping on the French though - as unlike the Spanish, Italians and Germans, they are going where the fighting is.

Remember what I told you about Gen. McKiernan?

Gen. David W. McKiernan, the nominee for commander of NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday that the United States should examine options for deploying more brigades. "There are certainly no signs that the insurgency is ready to collapse," McKiernan said. He emphasized that NATO needs to contribute more forces and remove combat limitations some member countries impose, "as they continue to degrade NATO capabilities."

We have seen the high water mark for Continental Europe in Afghanistan's South and East.

Their public just won't support more. We are about it when it comes to more combat troops.

Do you support or oppose Nicolas Sarkozy’s plan to increase the number of French troops in Afghanistan?

Support-15%

Oppose-68%

Not sure-17%