Munich  - NATO must develop a "wartime mentality" in its operation in Afghanistan a

Kabul  - A bomb detonated by Taliban militants in southern Afghanistan killed four people including two American nationals on Sunday, police said.

Afghan police forces found a roadside bomb device in Nad Ali district of southern Helmand province and called the US military advisors in area to defuse it, Kamal Khan, deputy provincial police chief said.

"When the advisors and district police chief arrived at the scene, the bomb was remotely detonated, killing two US citizens, their interpreter and one Afghan policeman," Khan said.

Islamabad, Feb. 8 : United States Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, will be arriving here on Monday on his maiden visit after being appointed Barack Obama's special envoy to the region.

During his four day mission, Holbrooke is expected to meet President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and other top leaders.

Holbrooke's visit is being considered important as it might influence a change in Washington's strategies with regard to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Munich, Feb. 8 : US Vice-President Joe Biden has termed Pakistan as an important ally of the United States in its `war on terror', and asked for a strengthening of ties between both countries in order to stabilise the region.

Washington will have to increase its cooperation with Pakistan as no strategy for Afghanistan can succeed without Islamabad, Biden said.

London, Feb. 8 : Several British Members of Parliament have said that the prevailing crisis in Afghanistan can be stabilized if India and Pakistan work together to resolve their dispute over Kashmir.

Speakers such as Sir Gerald Kaufman, Mohammad Sarwar, Denis MacShane, Adam Holloway and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence Quentin Davies were quoted by the Dawn newspaper as saying that the tensions between India and Pakistan should be eased to facilitate resolution of the Kashmir dispute, and this in turn they believed would lead to stabilizing Afghanistan.

Washington, Feb. 8 : U. S. President Barack Obama has called on America's defence chiefs to review their strategy in Afghanistan before going ahead with a troop surge.

According to a report in the Dawn newspaper, some senior Democrats have expressed concern about the military preparing to send up to 30,000 extra troops without a coherent plan or exit strategy.

The Pentagon is set to announce the deployment of 17,000 extra soldiers and marines, but Defense Secretary Robert Gates postponed the decision after Obama raised some questions about the lack of strategy.