From the AP: America’s allies risk eroding NATO’s trans-Altantic defense pact if they do not contribute more to the Afghan mission, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the alliance secretary general, said Wednesday.

Fogh Rasmussen said there must be a “fair balance” between what the United States does to stabilize Afghanistan and what its allies do, but that Washington currently sees no such balance.

Unless that changes, he told a press conference at the NATO headquarters, “many in the United States will wonder about Europe as a real partner in security. That would be damaging over the long-term for NATO and trans-Atlantic relations.” Audio of NATO press conference, (photo: AP)