Kabul
More NATO troops will be needed in Afghanistan to ensure that elections can be held in September, President Hamid Karzai said this week during a visit to Washington. The elections were originally scheduled for June but were postponed because of delays in voter registration. Taliban and al Qaida elements in outlying areas have reportedly been harassing potential voters, and just 3.5 million of the country’s 10 million eligible voters have registered. “We will definitely need more of the international security force assistance,” Karzai said. NATO has 6,000 troops deployed in Afghanistan, while the U.S. has 20,000.
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