(Image Source: CBS )

 

BY JOHN O’CONNOR

ANCHOR CARISSA LOETHEN

 

More than 50 world leaders met in the U.S. for a NATO Summit where they will discuss Afghanistan. The goal of the summit: To find a common stance for the alliance when it hands over security duties to Afghan forces in 2014. NATO’s Secretary General says the changes will be gradual. The BBC has the comments .

 

"You will see a gradual change in the roll of our troops from combat to support. It's not a contradiction of our strategy, it's a part of our strategy."

 

Some of members at the summit have expressed interest in creating a fund to support Afghan forces after NATO troops withdrawal. The US will cover half of the $4 billion-a year fund, but a writer for CNN says funding won’t provide the leadership Afghanistan needs.


“...fears exist among the Afghan population of a grand bargain either between the United States and Pakistan, or between the Afghan government and a resurgent Taliban. This could undo the social gains and ethnic pluralism in current Afghan politics and create fractures in the fragile political balance among Afghanistan's various ethnic powers, exacerbating fears of a civil war once the international troops exit.”

To complicate matters, newly elected French President Francois Hollande has announced he will withdraw all French troops by the end of the year-- two years ahead of what was originally agreed upon by NATO. France 24 reports .

“Hollande will also discuss the exit strategy with Afghan President Hamid Karzai when the two leaders meet for the first time on Sunday. Karzai supports Hollande’s decision for the early withdrawal of France’s troops.”

However, a reporter for SkyNews has discovered other Afghan leaders are uncomfortable with the idea of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF, withdrawing, even by 2014.

“If in 2014 ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) leaves this isn’t good news, the Taliban will decide not to do any fighting with ISAF and try to take Afghanistan back.”

Despite some Afghanistan leader’s concerns, President Obama has said by the end of 2014 the Afghans will be fully-responsible for security in the country.