International effort in Afghanistan falling short: Gates

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The international effort in Afghanistan is falling short, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned Wednesday, stressing the need for a better integrated approach to stabilizing the country

"To be successful, the entirety of the NATO alliance, the European Union, NGOs, and other groups -- the full panoply of military and civilian elements -- must better integrate and coordinate with one another and also with the Afghan government,"

But Gates complained that allied nations were unable to provide "the quantity and types of forces needed for this kind of fighting."

NATO forces are hamstrung by caveats that nations have placed on the use of the military forces that they have provided, he said

READ MORE