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The head of the Army is ready to send up to 2,000 extra troops to Afghanistan amid fears that the US-led mission will struggle without significant reinforcements. General Sir Richard Dannatt told The Times yesterday that elements of 12 Mechanised Brigade — which had been training for deployment to Iraq but were later stood down — had been “earmarked for Afghanistan”. Downing Street is involved in discussions about a surge. An increase of about 2,000 would take Britain’s troop strength to 10,000. Any decision would require Cabinet approval. President Obama will announce today an extra 17,000 US troops and a...

The Polish government plans to strengthen Poland's military contingent in Afghanistan this spring, Defense Minister Bogdan Klich said on Wednesday. "We have already started work on a related motion to the president," the minister was quoted as saying by Polish news agency PAP. An additional 400 soldiers will be deployed in Afghanistan, where Poland commands the province of Ghazni, reported daily newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza. Poland currently has 1,600 soldiers in that country. According to the defense minister, the increase could be possible at the turn of May and June when the 5th shift of Polish soldiers would leave for Afghanistan....

An Estonian Army Soldier holds his Order of the Spur certificate, a traditional U.S. Army cavalry award, during a farewell ceremony at Camp Taji, northwest of Baghdad, Dec. 12. The Estonian Soldiers completed their six-month tour in Iraq, during which they served as a vital force in eroding the capabilities of enemy forces in the area by exploiting weapons caches. Due to the increased security and stability in Iraq, the Republic of Estonia has transitioned its forces from Coalition operations to the NATO training mission in Iraq. Photo by Spc. Christopher Long. BAGHDAD — Due to the increased security and...

Taliban release tape of Polish engineer’s death Created: 08.02.2009 19:39 A video tape showing the last moments of the Polish captive in Pakistan, killed on Saturday by the Taliban, has been handed into the Reuters office in the north western town of Dera Ismail Khan. The tape shows two men cutting off the head of Piotr Stanczak, a Polish engineer who was kidnapped by the Taliban last September in the Attock region, near the border with Afghanistan. A statement by the Taliban in Pakistan on Saturday said that they would not be delivering the body of the engineer unless certain...

MUNICH – NATO's top official chastised Germany and France for refusing to commit more troops to Afghanistan, but the two European powers skirted the issue Saturday even while agreeing that Washington should not be left to fight international conflicts alone. Vice President Joe Biden came to the Munich Security Conference amid expectations he would forcefully repeat President Barack Obama's calls for greater European troop deployments in Afghanistan, as Washington prepares to double American troops there to roughly 60,000. But Biden kept his Afghan comments general in an apparent attempt to avoid a public dispute among allies.

President Bush tonight awarded America’s highest civilian honour to Tony Blair in a ceremony at the White House. The outgoing President said Mr Blair was “a true friend of the United States” before hanging the Presidential Medal of Freedom around his neck. The former Prime Minister stood in front of the President as the medal was bestowed upon him. “He will stand tall in history,” President Bush said.

JOHN Howard has been presented with America's highest civilian award by George W. Bush. The former prime minister grinned as the US President placed the Presidential Medal of Freedom around his neck this morning. He was honoured at the White House along with former British prime minister Tony Blair and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe.

Japan has announced it is extending its military mission in Afghanistan by another year. The decision was taken despite fierce resistance from the opposition. The Japanese navy provides logistical support to the international coalition in Afghanistan, including refuelling warships in the Indian Ocean.

Ukrainian Soldiers roll their national flag prior to casing it during an End of Mission ceremony at Camp Echo, Dec. 9, 2008. Photo by Sgt. Rodney Foliente, 4th Infantry Division Public Affairs. CAMP ECHO — An End of Mission ceremony was held here for the Ukrainian Army, Dec. 9. More than 5,000 Ukrainian servicemembers served in Iraq during Ukraine’s five years of service in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.“Enduring peace, stability and prosperity are common values to fight for in the modern world. Your mission in Iraq has been successfully completed,” said Viktor Nedopas, Charge d’Affairs of the Ukrainian Embassy...

PRIME MINISTER HARPER PARTICIPATES IN “TREES FOR TROOPS” Provides an additional 35 minutes of free phone time for overseas Canadian Forces personnel CFB PETAWAWA – The families of Canadian Forces Personnel serving overseas will be receiving Christmas trees thanks to a generous donation from the Canadian Christmas Tree Growers Association. “Nothing sustains the morale of our brave men and women in uniform more than the knowledge that the people back home appreciate the often difficult and dangerous work they do for us,” said Prime Minister Stephen Harper who participated in the ‘Trees for Troops’ event. “This is a genuinely kind...

TAJI — The Czech contingent, Senior Iraqi and Coalition partners gathered at the Iraqi Army Armor School here Dec. 4 to mark the Czech Republic end-of-mission and to recognize the Czechs for their work training and advising the Iraqi Army. Czech Republic Army Maj. Frantisek Grmela commanded 14 Soldiers who served as trainers and advisors to the IraqiArmy Armor School at Taji for the past six months. Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq TAJI — The Czech contingent, Senior Iraqi and Coalition partners gathered at the Iraqi Army Armor School here Dec. 4 to mark the Czech Republic end-of-mission and...

SEOUL — The title of Monday’s news release from the South Korean Ministry of National Defense said it all — "Goodbye Irbil." On Monday, South Korea formally ended its operations in Iraq, the release said. South Korean troops have conducted peacekeeping and humanitarian missions in Irbil, in northern Iraq, since September 2004. The country expects to withdraw all of the remaining 500 troops by Dec. 20, according to the ministry. The Zaytun Division — named after an Arabic word for olive — once numbered 3,300 and ranked third-largest among Coalition Forces. It was the largest troop overseas deployment from South...

Germany's parliament has voted to extend the country's military mission in Afghanistan and to deploy an extra 1,000 troops there. The decision will keep German troops in Afghanistan until December 2009, boosting their number to 4,500. Germany is the third-biggest contributor to the 47,000-strong Nato-led force. The plan put forward by Chancellor Angela Merkel was overwhelmingly approved by members of the lower house. The motion was backed by 442 MPs, while 96 voted against it and there were 32 abstentions. The move already has the support of the upper chamber of parliament. "This decision contributes to the stabilisation and peaceful...

President Nicolas Sarkozy has arrived in Afghanistan to support French troops a day after one of the deadliest attacks on France's forces abroad. Ten French soldiers were killed and 21 injured in an ambush by Taleban fighters east of the capital, Kabul. Mr Sarkozy said France was committed to the fight against terrorism, and the mission in Afghanistan would continue.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19, 2008 – Ten French soldiers were killed in Afghanistan when their patrol was attacked by Taliban fighters in Kabul province during fighting that spanned from late yesterday until early today, U.S. officials said. Twenty-one other French troops were wounded in the engagement, which reportedly involved up to 100 insurgents, according to a NATO news release. Afghan security forces were with the French soldiers when enemy fighters attacked. “As I understand it, it was a complex attack involving multiple weapons systems, small arms, mortars, rockets, and [it] lasted for several hours,” senior Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters...

KABUL (AFP) - Ten French soldiers were killed in battles with the Taliban near the Afghan capital, a French presidency source said Tuesday, as troops thwarted a second attack on a key US military base in as many days. Military officials in Kabul said the fierce clashes started with an attack Monday on an International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) patrol in Sarobi district, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) east of the capital Kabul. The French source, who requested anonymity, said the soldiers were killed following a "Taliban ambush". Most of the 3,000 French troops participating in the 40-nation ISAF are...

British ready to boost Afghan deploymentMove would help Canadians stationed in south AfghanistanBritish officials strongly hinted that they may increase troop numbers in Afghanistan, a move that would be a boon to Canadian forces in the region. The British Defence Minister strongly hinted on Thursday that he was prepared to significantly boost the number of troops sent to Afghanistan to fight the Taliban. British military officials are believed to have been in discussions about increasing the number of troops to 14,000 from 8,200 -- a move that would be good news for Canadian troops fighting the hard-line Islamic insurgents in...

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As part of the regeneration of Afghanistan, Denmark has renovated and rebuilt nine mosques and is building a new one in Helmand province Danish soldiers have been hard at work in the regeneration program for Afghanistan. But what the locals want more than hospitals and schools is a place of prayer. As a result, the Danes have helped renovate and rebuild nine mosques in Helmand province and are building another large one in the town of Rahim Kalay. 'We met with the locals and offered to help with the regeneration. One of the very first things they wanted was a...

There were questions surrounding Gordon Brown when he became Great Britain's Prime Minister. Taking office with echoes of "lap dog" following his predecessor Tony Blair, many wondered just how committed Brown would be to the "Special Relationship" between the US and Great Britain and whether he would initiate a more independent course in foreign affairs. Brown may yet eschew supporting the US on many issues. But on increasing sanctions on Iran and sending additional troops to Afghanistan - two things the US devoutly wished Brown would accede to - the British Prime Minister has come through.....