Activists barred ahead of NATO summit

Portuguese security forces have refused entry to more than 120 activists from across Europe ahead of the upcoming NATO summit in Lisbon.

Among those turned back are two Spanish peace activists and a German national scheduled to address the anti-NATO International Counter Summit.

Activist groups say all the people who have been stopped are advocates of nonviolent protests.

They are also calling on the Portuguese government to reestablish freedom of expression immediately.

The strict measures come as some 40 heads of state are to gather in Lisbon for the NATO meeting. The two-day summit will start on Friday

The leaders of the NATO member states will attend a summit to decide on a transition and troop withdrawal date from Afghanistan.

The summit comes as a new poll has found that the US is losing public support for the war in Afghanistan.

A poll conducted by Kwin-uh-pe-ack University shows half of the respondents believe their country should not be involved in the war.

Some 62 percent of Democrats want US troops out of Afghanistan while most Republicans support the war.

Grim prospects for a victory in Afghanistan and the rising fatalities have also increased opposition to the war among military families. Almost half of the families believe that US troops should return home.

The rising number of fatalities among the US-led foreign forces has led to growing opposition to the Afghan war in the countries that have contributed troops to the mission.

Civilian and foreign casualties stand at record levels despite the presence of around 150,000 foreign troops and mercenaries in Afghanistan.

The developments come as Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said it is time for the United States to reduce its presence and military operations in the war-ravaged country.

This is while senior officials in Washington have confirmed that American troops will remain in Afghanistan for at least four more years.