POLAND STEPS UP

NATO commanders' pleas for more troops to fight the Taliban were ignored by "old Europe" but Poland has stepped up:

Poland has announced it will send 1,000 troops to Afghanistan next year as part of the Nato peacekeeping force there.

"Poland understands that Nato will have to be more active in Afghanistan. We are well aware of that, and that is why we decided to increase the size of the force," Mr Laszczak added.

The Poles understand the consequences of appeasing totalitarian nut-jobs.