Obama's request for Afghanistan combat troops snubbed

BARACK Obama's Nato allies yesterday snubbed his request to send more combat troops to the battlefields of Afghanistan in a blow to his plans for a "surge" against al-Qaeda.

Up to 5,000 "trainers" and "police" from Nato forces were committed at a summit in Strasbourg yesterday, allowing the US president to claim he had won a "strong down-payment" from his allies.

But his hopes that Europe would commit combat-ready troops to take part in a new military offensive in the border areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan were turned down.

Anti-war protesters outside the Nato summit yesterday set a hotel and a customs house on fire, prompting police to fire tear gas into the crowds and make 25 arrests.

The US will now press ahead with plans to commit an additional 21,000 troops to add to the 70,000 troops already operational in Afghanistan, mostly under Nato command.

Obama is in the middle of a nine-day European tour and had travelled to Strasbourg, on the eve of Nato's 60th anniversary, to tell his allies that the US could no longer "shoulder the burden alone".

The Europeans responded by agreeing to send in a first tranche of 3,000 personnel who will help police Afghanistan prior to its elections in August.

An additional 1,400 to 2,000 personnel, drawn primarily from the UK, Spain, Italy, Germany and France, will provide training for the Afghan army.

Obama told a news conference yesterday: "I am pleased that our Nato allies pledged their strong and unanimous support for our new strategy."

The strategy - first outlined by Obama on his campaign trail – is to divert more troops into Afghanistan to root out terrorists there and in neighbouring Pakistan.

"We've started to match real resources to achieve our goals," he said.

Outgoing Nato chief Jaap de Hoop Scheffer added: "The bottom line is that when it comes to Afghanistan, this summit, and this alliance, have delivered."

But it was clear last night that Obama's hopes of a massive new combat surge of troops from across Europe were not going to follow, leaving the heavy lifting in US hands.

Only the UK has pledged to offer substantial help. Prime Minister Gordon Brown claimed yesterday that the partial support of the other European nations was a significant success.

He said: "We are working to build a successful democratic Afghanistan and that will mean that our streets will be safer in Britain. With important presidential elections to come in the next few months, we must not allow the Taliban to disrupt the democratic process."

The appointment of Danish prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen as the next Secretary General was endorsed by the Prime Minister, who said it had been a "unanimous" decision by all 28 Nato members, despite initial protests from Turkey.

But as the Nato leaders tried to project an image of harmony, violent protests marred the event as protesters attacked police and set a customs station ablaze at a bridge used as the backdrop for a walk by Nato leaders from Germany across the Rhine river to France.

Photographers saw other protesters storm a nearby Ibis hotel, setting fires and pilfering alcohol from its bar.

Stacks of old tyres were also set ablaze, unleashing thick plumes of black smoke that could be seen from across the river. Near the bonfire was a sign welcoming visitors to Strasbourg.