NATO said on Thursday the expansion of its peacekeeping force to the south of Afghanistan might not take place until the second half of the year, later than it had hoped. NATO wants to raise troop levels from 9,000 to 15,000, but the plan has been thrown into doubt by Dutch hesitation over whether to contribute 1,200 soldiers. The expansion is key to U.S. hopes of cutting its troop levels and easing pressure on an army severely stretched by its commitment in Iraq. Full Story