NATO Agrees on Afghan Drug Role for Military

United States Defense Secretary Robert Gates, center, stands with other NATO defense ministers in...

United States Defense Secretary Robert Gates, center, stands with other NATO defense ministers in front of a model of a C-17 airplane during a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Budapest, Thursday Oct. 9, 2008. The United States will push NATO allies Thursday to order their troops to target Afghanistan's heroin trade to stem the flow of drug money to the widening insurgency against the international military mission. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

(AP)

NATO defense ministers Friday authorized their troops in Afghanistan to attack drug barons blamed for pumping up to US$100 million (euro74 million) a year into the coffers of resurgent Taliban fighters.

"With regard to counter-narcotics ... ISAF can act in concert with the Afghans against facilities and facilitators supporting the insurgency," said NATO spokesman James Appathurai, referring to the NATO force.

The United States has pushed for NATO's 50,000 troops to take on a counter-narcotics role to hit back at the Taliban, whose increasing attacks have cast doubt on the prospects of a Western military victory in Afghanistan.

However, Germany, Spain and others were wary and their doubts led to NATO imposing conditions on the anti-drug mandate for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force.

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Troops will only be able to act against drug facilities if authorized by their own governments; only drug producers deemed to be supporting the insurgency will be targeted; and the operation must be designed to be temporary — lasting only until the Afghan security forces are deemed able to take on the task.

NATO defense ministers will review the success of the mission when they meet next February in Poland. Despite the limitations, NATO's top commander said the agreement gave him sufficient authority to act against the Taliban's drug lord backers.

"We now have the ability to move forward in an area that affects the security and stability of Afghanistan," said U.S. Gen. John Craddock. "It will allow us to reduce the funding and income to the insurgents."

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who pressed for the anti-drug effort, welcomed the NATO deal.

He said the Unites States and the British are interested in attacking the drug problem, along with some others whom he did not name.

Since the bulk of the drug problems are in the southern part of the country, he said it is likely troops there will be more willing interdict drugs than those in other locations.