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Afghanistan a 'litmus test' for NATO, leaders say (2nd Lead)
Apr 4, 2009, 10:49 GMT
US President Barack Obama (R) and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (L) attend the final conference session of the 2009 Nato Summit at \'Palais de la Musique et de Congres\' in Strasbourg, France, 04 April 2009. NATO\'s 60th anniversary summit 2009 took place in Baden-Baden and Kehl, Germany and Strasbourg, France on 03 and 04 April 2009. EPA/SASCHA SCHUERMANN / POOL
Strasbourg, France - Describing Afghanistan as a 'litmus test' for their 60-year-old alliance, NATO leaders Saturday began talks on how to defeat the Taliban insurgency and prevent it from becoming a haven for al Qaeda terrorists.
'Afghanistan is a litmus test for us all,' said German Chancellor Angela Merkel, one of the NATO summit's co-hosts along with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Merkel praised US President Barack Obama over his new strategy for Afghanistan and said her country was ready to contribute more soldiers, trainers and money towards 'the Afghanistanization' of the country.
Sarkozy also lauded Obama's new approach to the conflict, which involves speeding up Afghan reconstruction and involving other regional players such as Pakistan and Iran.
Obama and NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer then formally welcomed Albania and Croatia into the alliance, with the US president offering leaders of the two countries a copy of NATO's 1949 founding treaty.
However, the second day of the two-day summit was marred by the leaders' failure to agree on a new NATO chief.
Despite strong pressure by Obama, Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Turkey refused to lift its objections to naming Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen as de Hoop Scheffer's successor.
The Turks strongly object to Rasmussen because of his handling of the 2005 and 2006 row over caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed that appeared in Danish media and angered large sectors of the Muslim world.
The controversy also caused a stir early Saturday during the ceremonial crossing of the Rhine River from Germany to France, when Berlusconi chose to call Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan rather than join other leaders on the Passerelles des Deux Rives bridge.
During the Afghan talks, Obama was expected to ask European governments to contribute more troops, at least to secure the elections, as well as additional funds, police trainers and other material.
On Friday, government officials in London said Britain would send extra troops to Afghanistan 'subject to appropriate burden sharing' by other NATO allies.
The 'temporary troop increase' would be aimed at providing security during the presidential elections.
The French daily Le Figaro reported that Europe could propose sending a 500-strong force of gendarmes to aid Afghan police. France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal and Turkey have reportedly pledged to contribute to this force.
In addition, the daily El Pais reported on Thursday that Spain will beef up its troops in Afghanistan, from the current 780 to more than 1,000 soldiers.
As the NATO leaders met, groups of anti-NATO protesters skirmished with police in central Strasbourg.
Ironically singing 'Happy Birthday, NATO' and waving rainbow-coloured banners, the young demonstrators were met by teargas canisters fired by groups of police officers in riot gear.
Some 10,000 police officers and gendarmes were deployed in and around the city, whose downtown districts were otherwise as deserted as a ghost town.
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aApr 5th, 2009 - 01:00:05
Barack Obama as next President of The United States of America
The die is cast and for reasons that only a privileged few know, you Sir, will be the next President of the United States of America. Your next 4 years will be a turning point in US history and planet earth. CHANGE, your advisors and high stake investors offer the nation will undoubtedly be the same rhetoric and empty promises that make up a political campaign, that campaigns for appointment for any public office in America.
The White House will be the Black House to some, the Aryan Brothers of America will not be so happy, but yet will blame you and your staff if you fail, which will reinforce their belief that the Aryan Nation is the true leader for America. The religious zealots will be busy bees making nests to survive the onslaught of lies, corruption and deceit. Business enterprises and other competing nations will capitalize off of your inexperience in the art of corruption and murder. The organized crime organizations from different nations including our own will benefit from the lack of control over national crime.
Military governments including our own will test your tolerance to pain and deception and trick you into needless and profitable domestic and international conflict. You will no doubt attempt to colorize your staff to soften the race conflict once in office.
As President you will be President. Nations will respect you only for your title of office. Americans will soon see after your appointment as President that your intentions were manipulated by those that make the rules. You will fill the spot in history as planned, and nothing more.
You will never while in office be able to pull the troops from conflict in any land we are engaged in. As a matter of fact we as a nation will be engaged in a new conflict of war, which will galvanize Americans to seek a different form of government and a different and honest Congress.
You will attempt to shore up Americas problems with false promise and lies, because you cannot directly affect the CHANGE you promised.
Your frustration will be your downfall while in office, and your co-dependence on those that you trust will also add to your demise.
Our Armed Forces in rank will respect you as good soldiers they are, but those under them will not, and for good reasons, that only a good soldier knows.
America will not be America until its government respects the People, and tells the truth. America is a Republic, not a Democracy or Fascist Government or is it?
Until you can walk thru the streets and neighborhoods of America unaided by Secret Service or any other law enforcement agency you will not be respected by the many, only by the fearful and selfish few. Americans can protect their leaders if they are honest and respectful of the people they were elected to serve. Our Government has forsaken us for many hundreds of years, and now we will wait until your 4 years are finished for us to come to fruition.
CHANGE FOR AMERICA FOR AMERICANS!
The American Republic
A Sovereign Republic
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