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Miliband and Clinton discuss Afghan 'surge'
Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor03.02.09
FOREIGN Secretary David Miliband was meeting new US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington today amid speculation that Britain will join a "troop surge" in Afghanistan.
In the first face-to-face talks between a British minister and the Obama administration, Mr Miliband was discussing the president's plans to shift the focus from Iraq to fighting the Taliban.
He was also expected to talk about fresh moves to engage with Iran, as well as the Middle East peace process.
Britain has the highest number of troops in Afghanistan after the US and military chiefs fear that American demands for extra forces will continue the problem of "overstretch" that has dogged the British armed forces since Iraq was invaded in 2003.
President Barack Obama has made it clear he wants to improve relations with Tehran, where London has long maintained diplomatic channels to help reformers in the country. Tehran last night launched its first space satellite, prompting fears that UN sanctions were not harming its ambitions to build rockets, possibly for military use.
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates is drawing up plans to send a further 15,000 troops to escalate the fighting against the Taliban. The new administration is also highly suspicious of Afghanistan's president Hamid Karzai. But Britain reckons it is making as big a contribution as possible to the post 9/11 war effort.
Reader views (1)
What can Millbilly discuss?! Before this job he was once abroad and that was to Jersey!! Anyhow him and then the well experienced politician wife of the ex-President of the USA... What a comparison... Match? I do not think so. We will have to send more people into Afghanistan if we like it or not...
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London
