Australia Satisfied With NATO Summit

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was in Bucharest this week as Australia has forces committed to ISAF in Afghanistan. The Australian reports that he was generally satisfied with is part in proceedings, but notes that serious problems remain in NATO's counter-insurgency effort.

KEVIN Rudd has left Bucharest satisfied with the NATO summit and taking a share of the credit for the organisation's new strategic vision for Afghanistan.

NATO's new strategy promises that member countries will provide commanders with the tools needed for success by "filling remaining shortfalls including forces, training teams, and enablers". NATO leaders' Bucharest declaration pledges: "We will provide maximum possible flexibility of use of our forces by the ISAF commander."

But for most of the 40 countries, including non-NATO states, that have deployed troops to Afghanistan, "flexibility" does not extend to combat operations.