| NATO countries, which are being pressed for greater | | | | NATO troops to train the Afghan army and provide |
| troop contributions in Afghanistan, are scaling back a | | | | security for provincial reconstruction teams. |
| 2,500-member rapid reaction force that is to respond | | | | Other NATO discussions Thursday were to focus on |
| to international crises. | | | | Kosovo and on U.S. plans to install a missile defense |
| NATO defense ministers, meeting in the Netherlands, | | | | system in Poland and the Czech Republic. |
| authorized the down-sizing Thursday. | | | | Washington has in recent weeks floated several |
| The brainchild of former U.S. Defense Secretary | | | | proposals aimed at easing Russian concerns about |
| Donald Rumsfeld, the NATO Response Force | | | | the deployment. But Moscow has shown no public |
| provides for deploying seasoned troops on five days' | | | | signs of softening its opposition to the missile |
| notice to crises across the globe. | | | | system, which President Vladimir Putin says will |
| Analysts say the project was doomed by pressure | | | | destabilize eastern Europe and trigger a new arms |
| on NATO members to maintain a 40,000-member | | | | race. |
| troop presence in Afghanistan. | | | | But Russian Defense Minister Anatoli Serdyukov |
| In closed-door sessions Wednesday, U.S. Defense | | | | Thursday said the latest proposals have not yet |
| Secretary Robert Gates pressed NATO ministers to | | | | eased his country's concerns on the issue. |
| send more soldiers to southern Afghanistan, the | | | | Some information for this report was provided by |
| scene of the most serious fighting with Taliban | | | | AFP and AP . |
| forces. Gates also said there is an urgent need for | | | | |