UK troops to boost Afghan surge

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General Sir Richard Dannatt said some members of 12 Mechanised Brigade, who were trained for deployment to Iraq but were later stood down, have been "earmarked for Afghanistan".

He told The Times there were no plans to send the whole brigade of around 4,000 troops - which would take the British presence to more than 12,000 - but said the figure could rise to "somewhere in between" the current troop strength of 8,300 and 12,000, subject to political approval.

He added that sending another 4,000 would create "a risk of replicating the pressures on the Army that we are trying to avoid".

US President Barack Obama will lay out his revamped strategy for Afghanistan and is expected to announce plans to dispatch thousands more military and civilian trainers on top of the 17,000 fresh combat troops he has already ordered.

Gen Dannatt told The Times: "Improving security in Afghanistan will be dictated by having more boots on the ground. I don't mind whether the boots will be American, British or Afghan."

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said "no decision" had been made on any further deployment, adding that Gen Dannatt's comment on the question of more troops was: "If we're asked for more and we say we can, it's not going to be 4,000, it's going to be something in between."

The Conservatives have said they want to see strict criteria met before any further deployments, including clear and achievable objectives, a "proportionate and appropriate increase" in equipment and greater burden-sharing by Nato allies.

Tory leader David Cameron said sending more troops would only be worthwhile if they were able to deal with problems "on the ground" such as tackling corruption and drugs.

He said: "More troops could be part of the answer but in our view they should only be sent if they are sent with the right equipment, with the right number of helicopters and the right civilian back-up and support so we deal with the other problems in Afghanistan like corruption and drugs. It is no good just pouring in the troops if you do not deal with the other problems on the ground."