Nato's rapid response force is suffering from a serious lack of troops and is not ‘at full operational capability’ as member states' forces are overstretched with commitments in Afghanistan, Iraq and other regions.

General John Craddock, Nato's top military commander, has sent Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, its secretary- general, a letter warning him that the force has difficulties raising its 25,000 troops, FT Deutschland, the Financial Times' sister paper, has learned.