More Troops Not Solution In Afghanistan - Spain Foreign Minister

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http://www.easybourse.com/bourse-actualite/marches/more-troops-not-solution-in-afghanistan-spain-foreign-min-613617

Tuesday February 10th, 2009 / 15h38

MADRID (AFP)--Sending more troops to Afghanistan is not the answer to its problems and there has to be a greater emphasis on a political solution, Spain's foreign minister said on Tuesday.

In Afghanistan, there is "a deficit on the political side and a surplus on the military side," Miguel Angel Moratinos said, confirming that Madrid wouldn't increase its 780-troop contingent there.

Spain's troops serve alongside 70,000 from 40 countries under North Atlantic Treaty Organization auspices, with U.S. forces the largest single contingent at 37,000.

Washington plans to deploy another 30,000 as it winds down operations in Iraq but their deployment is awaiting the green light from the White House which wants to get a better grip on overall strategy first, U.S. defense officials said Monday.