NATO to discuss bolstering Afghan operation

By David Brunnstrom

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO will look for ways this week to bolster operations in Afghanistan and help Georgia rebuild its military, despite the prospect of spending cuts because of the global financial crisis.

Defence ministers from the 26-state alliance, who meet on Budapest Thursday and Friday, are committed to boosting defence expenditure and improving military capabilities. They face a deepening challenge in Afghanistan and from Russia.

But NATO officials acknowledge the alliance faces a growing list of demands and tasks without having a clear idea of what funds will be available because governments have been diverting large amounts to banking-sector bailouts. "Every day we are learning something new about interventions they feel they have to make, so we don't really now what the full impact will be on state budgets," a senior U.S. official told a briefing.

"But you can suppose that if governments are strapped for cash that will put pressure on how much money is available for defence and how much money is available for deployments."

The ministers will hear U.S. calls for more troops in Afghanistan, where NATO says its role is to assist the Afghan government in providing security and stability, and for funds for the long-term growth of the Afghan army.

They are also likely to discuss the need to plug shortfalls in equipment such as helicopters and will try to resolve differences over U.S. calls for a more aggressive fight against the drugs trade that fuels the Taliban insurgency.

TALIBAN INSURGENCY

Seven years after the Taliban were ousted following the September11 attacks on the United States, Britain's military commander and ambassador in Afghanistan have said they think the war against the Taliban cannot be won.