Thousands of British, Canadian and Dutch troops have been moving into the turbulent south since the beginning of the year in preparation for the takeover of NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) due next week.

The NATO-led force will take command from a counter-insurgency coalition headed and dominated by the United States that has been in the south since soon after the extremist Taliban regime was toppled in a US-led operation in late 2001.

The deployment of troops under the banner of the 26-nation NATO alliance will undermine Taliban propaganda that Afghanistan has been invaded by the United States, analyst Ahmad Behzad told AFP.

"Waging a stepped up insurgency in the south, the extremists -- especially the Arabs -- recruit locals preaching to the public that Afghanistan is invaded by America," said Behzad, also a legislator.

This played on lingering rancour about the invasion of Russia in the 1980s and Britain in the 19th century, with both countries defeated by popular uprisings.

"But the deployment of NATO replacing Americans is weakening the Taliban claim. It shows commitment of 26 countries to peace and peoples' will in Afghanistan. It raises hopes for peace in the south," he said.

Concerns exist however that countries nervous about sending their soldiers to the dangerous area might reconsider if the death toll mounts.

ISAF is already deployed, mainly as a peacekeeping force, in northern and western Afghanistan and Kabul -- areas which have seen relatively little Taliban-linked violence.

And 60 foreign soldiers have been killed in combat this year mainly in the south which has seen a surge in attacks by the ultra-Islamic Taliban.

"There is the fear that member countries might pull out their troops if they face heavy casualties as their mandate is to ensure peace not to fight terror," Behzad said.

Afghan defence ministry spokesman Mohammad Zahir Azimi said the southwards expansion of ISAF would bring more "legitimacy" to the deployment of foreign troops in Afghanistan.

And ISAF, which includes several non-NATO nations, might be better able to put pressure on countries in which insurgents receive training and funding.

"Besides the military power, NATO enjoys strong political power worldwide. It can pressure the roots of terrorism in regional countries," he said.

Some analysts however questioned the return of British troops to the area where they were resoundly defeated in the Battle of Maiwand in 1880, losing about 1,000 men.

"The British are known as a defeated force here. Now people think the British are here to take their revenge," university lecturer and analyst Wadir Safai told AFP.

Fugitive Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar has already announced that "once we won the Maiwand war in the 19th century and now we will win this second Maiwand war in the 21st century," Safai said.

Another analyst, Waheed Mujda, agreed the presence of the British -- who with 4,000 troops will form the bulk of the ISAF force in the south -- could have a "negative impact".

"Every year we celebrate Afghan independence from British... In school history books and in tales, people are told of the bravery of empty-handed Afghans against the well-equipped British army.

"This can harm the counter-insurgency," he said.

Mujda said there was also a perception that the deployment of NATO is a way for the United States to shed responsibility for the volatile region which has seen the worst of a surge in Taliban attacks this year.

Few analysts regard the mission as a success so far, with violence growing and the Taliban apparently gaining public support, whether because of intimidation, propaganda or frustration with the new government.

Resentment about the behaviour of the US forces also exists with scores of civilians killed in their operations and soldiers accused of violating tradition in this conservative country.

ISAF says its approach will be different, focusing on community outreach and development to win support.

"Besides fighting terrorism, it is important to know local sensitivities, culture and traditions, and we hope that NATO understands that," Mujda said.

"To take control of a post or a place is temporary. But win hearts and minds, and you win the war. You leave no support for the enemy in public and that is victory."

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