U.S. resists putting GIs among warlords

The United States faces growing pressure to approve an increase in U.N. peacekeeping troops in Afghanistan as rival warlords continue to undermine the interim government of Hamid Karzai.

Amid such pressures, the Bush administration continues to rule out any direct involvement of U.S. combat troops in peacekeeping, leaving the present U.N. force of about 4,500 troops under British control.
In addition, Gen. Richard B. Meyers, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said yesterday that the United States is unlikely to sign off on an expansion of peacekeeping troops beyond the capital of Kabul.