Int'l reaction to new US Afghan policy

US President Barack Obama has announced his revised troop strategy in Afghanistan. Following the long-awaited decision, the international community's reactions vary.

The additional 30-thousand troop deployment in Afghanistan has brought mixed reactions.

The Afghan government welcomes Obama's new strategy, hoping the extra troops will help strengthen the peace and security of its people. The government also says it will spare no effort in achieving the objectives set out in the strategy.

However, Taliban militants are downplaying the decision on troops, saying there is nothing new to solve the Afghan conflict. They adds it will continue the resistance against the US and its allies.

Reactions from NATO and the EU are quite positive. The Secretary General of NATO, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, says he expects US allies to provide at least 5-thousand extra troops to significantly enhance troop levels in Afghanistan. Sweden, which currently holds the EU presidency, also says the European Union stands ready to work closely with the US and the rest of the international community in addressing the challenges in Afghanistan. Rasmussen also stresses the importance of close and strategic coordination of the international efforts in helping Afghanistan build social stability.

The UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown urges international unity behind Obama's new troop policy. He says the UK will continue to play its full part in persuading other countries to offer troops to the Afghan campaign. In fact, before the US new troop announcement, the UK had promised to send an additional 500 troops to Afghanistan from next month.

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini says Italy backs Obama's troop plan and he hopes other NATO allies can do their part by adding forces on the field. Frattini says Italy is ready to send extra troops to Afghanistan, but has not decided how many.

The Polish government says it will send some 600 soldiers to Afghanistan, and an additional 200 troops will be kept at home as a reserve. But the decision must be ratified by the country's president.