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Nations balk at US anti-drug plan for Afghanistan!
By LOLITA C. BALDOR

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — A number of NATO countries are balking at the United States' request that their troops in Afghanistan do more to confront drug lords whose money helps bankroll the Taliban, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday.

But he told reporters that several options are on the table for further discussion, including allowing some nations who are opposed to the plan to "opt out" without blocking others from participating.

"It's been a good conversation, it's been a frank one, I think people are listening to one another," said Gates, adding that he was not particularly surprised or frustrated by the plan's lukewarm reception. "How it will come out, I'm not certain at this point."

Some countries, including Germany, Italy and Spain, have expressed concerns that doing a more aggressive counter-drug effort would lead to a backlash against international troops serving in Afghanistan. And they also fear that broadening the mission there would overstretch the hard-pressed troops, and give the Afghan government less incentive to fight the drug problem on its own.

Gates said he argued that the U.S. is not pressing for a counter-narcotics strategy, and instead is talking about giving troops greater freedom to track down the networks that are funding the Taliban.

The issue was discussed at length Thursday at a NATO meeting of defense ministers, and Gates says he is hopeful a resolution may be reached, even possibly Friday.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5igzGxycSuIZ33oQMLBtrvu-hYf-AD93N4DS81