Some NATO allies may delay on Afghan troops

Obama is set to announce on December 1 the deployment of tens of thousands of extra troops to "finish the job" of beating a tough Taliban-led insurgency, eight years after US-led forces ousted the fundamentalist militia from power.

Brussels -- As US President Barack Obama readies to send extra troops to Afghanistan, NATO cautioned Wednesday that a number of US allies could wait until next year before following suit with reinforcements.

Obama is set to announce on December 1 the deployment of tens of thousands of extra troops to "finish the job" of beating a tough Taliban-led insurgency, eight years after US-led forces ousted the fundamentalist militia from power.

"Nobody should expect that the day after President Obama makes his announcement that there will be a total troop figure, added up and put on the table, from the other allies," said NATO spokesman James Appathurai.

Obama is set to change strategy in Afghanistan, with forces protecting civilians to win their trust and isolate the insurgents, rather than hunting down the militants who now hold the initiative.

Appathurai said a small group of NATO heavyweights, led by Germany, want to wait until after a new international conference on Afghanistan, tentatively set for January either in London or Kabul, before committing more resources (...)