Barack Obama fails to win Nato troops he wants for Afghanistan

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6032342.ece
April 4, 2009

Barack Obama fails to win Nato troops he wants for Afghanistan


Leading article: Alliance for Liberty | Pictures: Nato Summit | Obama dazzles Europe with campaigning style | Brown under fire over Afghan troops
Barack Obama made an impassioned plea to America’s allies to send more troops to Afghanistan, warning that failure to do so would leave Europe vulnerable to more terrorist atrocities.
But though he continued to dazzle Europeans on his debut international tour, the Continent’s leaders turned their backs on the US President.
Gordon Brown was the only one to offer substantial help. He offered to send several hundred extra British soldiers to provide security during the August election, but even that fell short of the thousands of combat troops that the US was hoping to prise from the Prime Minister.