NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said on Wednesday an additional four battalions, some 4,000 troops, were needed to provide security for Afghan elections in August. There are around 70,000 foreign soldiers in Afghanistan and an additional 17,000 U.S. troops are due in the country over the year, Reuters reported. Asked how many more troops he wanted for securing the elections, de Hoop Scheffer said: "Four battalions." A NATO battalion is around 1,000 troops. According to the Afghan constitution the presidential election is to be held in spring but the date was postponed until August due to the Afghan winter and to give foreign troops enough time to ensure security.
