Afghan leader: need to reconcile with Taliban

not come to Afghanistan, or to the region, or to the international community without better coordination with our neighbors," Karzai said.

"We will invite all of those Taliban who are not part of al-Qaida, who are not part of terrorist networks, who want to return to their country, who want to live by the constitution of Afghanistan, who want to have a normal life, to come back to their country," Karzai said.

Jung said Germany thought the number of troops in Afghanistan was sufficient, given NATO's roughly 55,000 forces there and the fact that Washington was preparing to double American troops to about 60,000.

After fits and starts, the White House and Congress are moving on parallel tracks toward a new round of heavy intervention in the U.S.



Source: http://www.dcexaminer.com/ap?id=1595822

FRANCE 'HAPPY TO HOST' GERMAN BATTALION: SARKOZY

MUNICH, Germany, Feb 7, 2009 (AFP) - President Nicolas Sarkozy welcomedSaturday the imminent deployment of German troops on French soil, describing the move as a historic act.

France "would be happy to host on its territory" a German battalion for the first time since invading German forces were forced out at the end of WorldWar II, he told a major security conference in Munich, southern Germany.

"It will have reconnaissance and infantry companies and have a headquarters, corresponding to a force of 600 to 700 troops," Morin told AFP on the sidelines of the conference.

German troops occupied much of France during World War II, and the eastern Alsace-Lorraine region where Illkirch is located has a patchwork history ofannexation and occupation under both countries.



Source: http://www.ttc.org/200902071447.n17el7524339.htm