The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Kabul

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and British Foreign Secretary David Miliband made a surprise trip to Afghanistan Thursday calling for NATO allies to step up support for the fight against the Taliban.

Rice and her British counterpart reiterated en route to Kabul that NATO allies should stump up more troops to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) that is facing a tough task against the Taliban after a grim 2007. "Frankly, I hope that there will be more troop contributions and there need to be more Afghan contributions," Rice told reporters travelling with the pair. When asked what would happen if other NATO countries failed to contribute, she said: "In the final analysis, you will see more troop contributions." "The problem is we have to make sure they are the right troop contributions and in the right place," Rice added. "It is not an overwhelming number of forces being sought here -- this is a troop contribution level that NATO can meet and should meet."