Nato generals today struggled to persuade allies to provide an extra 2,000 troops urgently sought by commanders caught unawares by the ferocity of Taliban resistance to the alliance push into southern Afghanistan.

FORMER ambassadors, senior military figures and a bishop were among 44 signatories of an open letter to British Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday calling for an inquiry into the estimated 98,000 civilian deaths in Iraq.

NATO was facing one of the worst crises in its 54-year history yesterday after France, Germany and Belgium blocked military planning for steps to defend Turkey in the event of war against Iraq.

Nato delivered another setback to the US today as four allies held up plans for the alliance to send planes and missiles to defend Turkey if there is war with Iraq.