Petraeus pushes French for help in Afghanistan

[unhappycamper]

Petraeus pushes French for help in Afghanistan
By Deborah Seward - The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Feb 9, 2009 17:20:14 EST

PARIS — Army Gen. David Petraeus, the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, was meeting senior French officials Monday amid signs that France is reluctant to commit more troops to Afghanistan and wants a political solution to achieve stability.

Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told Petraeus that France’s priority was to pursue both military and civilian policy to achieve stability in Afghanistan.

Petraeus was to meet later Monday with French Defense Minister Herve Morin, who has signaled that more French troops will not be forthcoming at a time when the U.S. is seeking reinforcements from other countries.

Morin said in various radio and newspaper interviews since Sunday that France already had made a considerable effort toward stability in Afghanistan and would not add more troops to the 3,300 French soldiers already there.

President Barack Obama and the head of NATO have urged European allies to send reinforcements to Afghanistan. The U.S. is expected to deploy up to 30,000 more American troops there this year, doubling the number already there.


Rest of article at: http://armytimes.com/news/2009/02/ap_Petraeus_france_020909w/%2e