From Ken Dilanian, Los Angeles Times:  Germany and Italy have committed to join the United States in helping to train Afghan troops after combat operations cease at the end of next year, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Wednesday.

Absent from the announcement was reference to the closest U.S. ally, Britain, which has been the second-largest source of troops in the 11-year Afghanistan war. Britain is expected to contribute to the training and mentoring, but has not yet pledged a specific role in what promises to be a dramatically reduced international mission 18 months from now.

Germany will take the lead in the north of Afghanistan and Italy in the west, diplomats said after a meeting of North Atlantic Treaty Organization defense ministers in Brussels, while Hagel said Turkey is considering becoming the lead nation in the capital, Kabul.

They spoke after NATO defense ministers met behind closed doors and agreed on a “concept of operations” for a “train, advise and assist” mission in Afghanistan beginning in January 2015. . . .

The agreement does not include specific troop numbers.  (photo: CPT Peer Uhlemann/ISAF)

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