Pentagon looks outside NATO for Afghanistan troops

By Kristin Roberts

OHRID, Macedonia (Reuters) - The United States called on southeastern Europe Wednesday, including aspiring NATO members, to send more troops to fight the insurgency in Afghanistan.

As the conflict with Taliban fighters has escalated, U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates has increasingly looked for troop contributions from outside NATO.

"As the situation on the ground in Iraq continues to improve, I urge you to consider sending your military forces to Afghanistan," Gates told a meeting of the Southeastern Europe Defence Ministerial, a group of 12 countries that includes Italy, Turkey, Ukraine, Romania and Macedonia.

"Your assistance will not only help Afghanistan better protect and care for its citizens, it will also reinforce your important role in ensuring peace and stability around the world," he said.

Violence in Afghanistan has soared for more than two years and the Pentagon chief has repeatedly asked NATO members and others to send troops, equipment and money to the war zone. Still, NATO commanders say they need another three brigades, or about 10,000 to 12,000 troops.

While the United States is likely to fill that requirement next year as the Pentagon starts to shift focus to Afghanistan from Iraq, U.S. officials worry NATO allies will see that as an excuse not to meet pledges to commit more resources.

"I want to make sure that everybody understands that the increases in U.S. forces are not seen as replacements for NATO contributions. They're reinforcement," Gates told reporters travelling with him this week. He will raise the issue at a NATO meeting in Budapest Thursday.

The United States has 33,000 troops in Afghanistan, including 13,000 under the NATO mission. America has the most forces there of any country, followed by Britain with about 8,000 troops.