Karzai: Afghanistan Wants More Equipment from NATO

Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010 VOA News Afghan President Hamid Karzai has vowed to seek military supplies from other sources if NATO does not provide Afghan security forces with more equipment.

President Karzai told a news conference in the Afghan capital, Kabul, Tuesday that his government is not happy with the equipment provided by NATO partners so far, calling it insufficient.

He said Afghan forces need more help

if they are to take full control of the country’s security by 2014 — a goal NATO officially endorsed at a summit in Portugal last week.

Mr. Karzai said Afghanistan has the freedom to equip its police and army from somewhere else if it does not get what it needs from NATO. He did not mention any specific source.

Despite the criticism, Karzai praised NATO’s partnership with Afghanistan and said the alliance will continue to assist the country beyond 2014 when its combat role is set to end.

There are about 150,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan helping fight the Taliban insurgency. The conflict is now in its 10th year.

Some information in this story was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.