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Summary
US special envoy Richard Holbrooke acknowledged that the war in Afghanistan is unpopular, given the legacy of Iraq and Vietnam, but he predicted that NATO allies will soon contribute more forces to join the 30,000 additional US troops being deployed there.We have been very gratified by the strong support of our European allies for President Obama's policy, Holbrooke, special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, told the journalists. He spoke before a two-day meeting of NATO foreign ministers that opens later Thursday. Obama's new plan for the war in Afghanistan calls for the dispatch of 30,000 more troops, but includes assurances that some of them will begin withdrawing in July 2011. NATO spokesman James Appathurai said pledges from the alliance already have exceeded 5,000 troops. More than 20 nations are expected to make firm commitments at a force-generation conference on Monday, and following the international conference on Afghanistan in January, he said. I understand that the war is unpopular, Holbrooke said. It's a long way off, and there's the legacy of Iraq and Vietnam. But he also predicted that NATO members would announce more troops for Afghanistan at a series of meetings in the coming weeks. Some countries may decide to speak tomorrow at the NATO ministerial, others will work it through the force-generation conference on 7th December, and others have announced already they are going to work toward the 28th January date for the London conference, Holbrooke said.
