U.S. would support French move to east Afghanistan

By Kristin Roberts

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States wants France to put more troops in Afghanistan's restive southern region, but would agree to a proposal from Paris to boost forces in the east instead, according to U.S. officials.

France's commitment to add troops to Afghanistan could be critical to keeping Canada in the war. Ottawa has threatened to pull its troops from the south if NATO cannot muster reinforcements.

While Washington hopes France will deploy to the south to directly aid Canada, a decision to add French troops to the east could allow commanders to shift U.S. troops to the south and meet Canada's call for help, U.S. officials said.

"Either way it solves the Canadian problem," said one U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Washington has urged NATO allies repeatedly to boost troop levels in Afghanistan, where violence has soared more than six years after the U.S.-led invasion toppled the Taliban.

The call for troops became more urgent in January when Canada threatened to pull its force of 2,500 out of the Afghan south if NATO did not send 1,000 troops as reinforcements.

France, which has 1,900 troops primarily in the capital Kabul, had said it could be ready to help Canada. But it has said the choice between sending troops to the east or to Kandahar in the south has not been made.

While the east is seen as more dangerous than the relatively calm capital area, the toughest battles have been in the southern provinces of Kandahar, Uruzgan and Helmand.