Europe reluctant to send troops

Paris: European leaders were quick to offer verbal support for US President Barack Obama's Afghanistan strategy, but in less of a hurry to commit new troops to an uncertain and deadly military campaign.

Faithful US ally Britain was first off the mark, promising to send 500 extra soldiers even before Obama made his long-awaited policy speech on Tuesday in which he said he would send 30,000 more American troops.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown yesterday urged other coalition members to unite behind Obama and said Britain would "play its full part in persuading other countries to offer troops to the Afghanistan campaign".

Cautious

But despite the drumbeat from London, the response from continental Europe was cautious as leaders sought to give Obama positive signals while placating their own voters, who are increasingly sceptical of the Afghan war.

Germany, the third-biggest contributor with 4,400 troops in Afghanistan, signalled that it stood ready to do more police training but could not commit more troops before a strategy review early next year.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy called Obama's speech "courageous, determined and lucid" and said France would "look at its contribution to international strategy, giving priority to the training of Afghan security forces".

In Rome, Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said Italy would send more troops, but declined to give numbers or a timetable. He promised Italy would "do a lot" and urged other Europeans to do likewise, presenting their reactions as lukewarm.

In Warsaw, the defence ministry said the Polish government would like to send an extra 600 soldiers to Afghanistan but warned that the plan was subject to approval by the president.

Poland has 2,000 troops there and President Lech Kaczynski is expected to approve any request to increase that number.