NATO to increase Afghan force by 3,000

STRASBOURG, France, April 4 (UPI) -- NATO promised Saturday to increase its force in Afghanistan by 3,000 to provide security for elections this summer.

The temporary surge in numbers suggests European leaders want to show support for U.S. President Barack Obama but remain wary of sending their own citizens to fight a war that remains unpopular among their voters, The Washington Post reported. Obama welcomed the increase at a news conference as the two-day NATO summit came to an end.

"All of NATO understands that al-Qaida is a threat to all of us, and that this collective effort must achieve its goals," he said. "And as a signal of that commitment, I am pleased that our NATO allies pledged their strong and unanimous support for our new strategy."

Both French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for support for Obama. Sarkozy said the "freedom of the world is at stake" in Afghanistan.

Obama has announced plans for an Afghanistan surge, which will boost the number of U.S. troops in country from 38,000 to 68,000 over an eight-month period, including the elections, which Washington sees as a potential turning point in the Afghanistan conflict, the Telegraph said.

Also Saturday, NATO leaders walked across a bridge over the Rhine River from Germany to France to mark the alliance's 60th year.