Tirana increases contribution of troops to Afghanistan

TIRANA, Dec 2 – Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha on Wednesday said that his country would contribute 85 more troops to Afghanistan.
The premier said that company would be made up of fighting troops, those training the Afghan army, and a medical team.
“With this contingent I believe Albania gives her contribution in such a big issue of the world peace,” he said after meeting with visiting U.S. Ambassador Daniel Fried.
“Albania will respond positively to such a commitment and for sure that we will send additional troops again,” Albanian Foreign Minister Ilir Meta said.
Albania currently has 250 troops in Afghanistan.
President Barack Obama announced his plan to send in 30,000 more U.S. forces aiming at protecting the United States from further terrorist attack while also keeping the Taliban from overrunning the country.
Obama pledged Tuesday night to an audience of Army cadets at the U.S. Military Academy that the shift from surge to exit strategy would depend on the military situation in Afghanistan.
The planned infusion of 30,000 U.S. troops would raise the total American military presence in Afghanistan to about 100,000.
NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said he expected the allies to bolster the American buildup with more than 5,000 additional troops.
At a meeting of foreign ministers in Athens, Greece, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg said: “Some countries are ready now to make commitments to provide additional troops or additional funds; some are now just examining it. We understand that they need a little bit of time to digest exactly what the president’s proposed.”