NATO obliged to help in Afghanistan: Bush

US President George Bush today criticised Nato nations that have hesitated to send additional troops to Afghanistan or allow their soldiers already there to fight in the violent south and under other dangerous circumstances.

Speaking at the American Enterprise Institute, a think-tank, he said: “When our commanders on the ground say to our respective countries ’We need additional help,’ our Nato countries must provide it. ”As well, allies must lift restrictions on the forces they do provide so Nato commanders have the flexibility they need to defeat the enemy wherever the enemy may make its stand.“

Bush said that listening to his request is not only an obligation nations make as part of Nato membership, but is also crucial to their own security.

“The alliance was founded on this principle: an attack on one is an attack on all. That principle holds true whether the attack is on the home soil of a Nato nation or on allied forces deployed on a Nato mission abroad,” he said.

“By standing together in Afghanistan, Nato forces protect their own people.”

The imbalance in Afghanistan has become a sore point among allies.

Troops from Canada, Britain, the Netherlands and the United States have been doing most of the fighting and leaders of those countries have been lobbying the other 22 allied countries to do more.

Countries such as Germany, for instance, do not allow their forces to deploy to the heart of the Taliban insurgency in the south and east.

Fighting in Afghanistan over the past year has been the bloodiest since the US-led war started in 2001 and toppled the Taliban regime.

Commanders anticipate a renewed offensive this spring by Taliban fighters trying to stage a comeback and topple the elected government in Kabul.

Several countries have offered recently to provide additional support to the 35,500-strong Nato force, but it remains to be seen whether coalition commanders will get the troops, equipment and rules of engagement they say they need.

Bush said the need is great as spring comes, bringing an expected new offensive by the Taliban.

“The snow is going to melt in the Hindu Kush mountains and when it does we can expect fierce fighting to continue,” the president said. “The Taliban and al Qaida are preparing to launch new attacks.

“Our strategy is not to be on the defence but to go on the offence. This spring there’s going to be a new offensive in Afghanistan and it’s going to be a Nato offensive.

“And that’s part of our strategy – relentless in our pressure. We will not give in.”