INTERVIEW-NATO rejects U.S. criticism of Afghan allies
By Mark John
BRUSSELS, Jan 16 (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer on Wednesday rejected remarks attributed to U.S. Pentagon chief Robert Gates questioning the preparedness of allied troops in Afghanistan, saying they were up to the task.
In comments likely to surprise allies such as Britain that have sent troops to the violent south of the country, the Los Angeles Times cited Gates' concerns that some of the troops there did not know how to conduct counter-insurgency operations.
"I'm surprised because I have no indication -- and neither has the military chain of command -- that any country or countries are not exercising their tasks to the highest levels," de Hoop Scheffer told Reuters in a telephone interview.
De Hoop Scheffer stressed he had not verified the comments attributed to Gates, and had no recollection of Gates having raised concerns with him or at NATO meetings.
"That is why I say I am surprised ... I think there is no reason not to conclude that all nations, including the ones in the south, are performing very well," de Hoop Scheffer said of the 42,000-strong NATO-led ISAF force.
"I have the greatest admiration for all the ISAF forces and especially the ones who do the heavy lifting in the south."
Aside from the United States, the main NATO allies operating in south Afghanistan are Britain, Canada, the Netherlands, Denmark, Estonia and Romania.
The Los Angeles Times quoted Gates as saying he believed NATO forces in the region did not know how to combat a guerrilla insurgency such as that being pursued with mounting bloodshed by the Taliban.
"I'm worried we're deploying (military advisers) that are not properly trained and I'm worried we have some military forces that don't know how to do counter-insurgency operations," it quoted Gates as saying in an interview.
"Most of the European forces, NATO forces, are not trained in counter-insurgency. They were trained for the Fulda Gap," Gates said of the strip of land between former East and West Germany where a Soviet invasion was deemed most likely.
The comments by Gates came a day after the United States confirmed it would send an additional 3,200 Marines to Afghanistan after months of unsuccessful efforts to persuade other NATO allies to provide extra combat forces. (Editing by Dale Hudson)
