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Brown snubs American plea for troop surge in Afghanistan
Robert Fox29 Apr 2009
Gordon Brown has said “No” to Barack Obama's plea for Britain to substantially boost its military force in Afghanistan.
The Prime Minister has ruled out sending extra British soldiers for longer than a few months despite the US President calling on Nato allies to deploy more troops in the battle against the Taliban.
Unveiling an updated strategy on Afghanistan and Pakistan, Mr Brown confirmed that 700 extra British soldiers will be deployed from July to November this year to cover the Afghan presidential poll in August.
However, Britain has decided not to increase its more permanent force, currently at 8,300. The Americans are pouring up to 21,000 more troops into Afghanistan but British military chiefs have warned of overstretch if thousands of UK soldiers were deployed there as the withdrawal from Iraq takes place. Ministers have accepted that the 8,300-strong British force is sufficient for the task it has been given.
Publishing the “Afpak” strategy, Mr Brown said: “We are shouldering our share of the burden in Afghanistan.”
The document, called UK Policy in Afghanistan and Pakistan, states that following the presidential election: “(British) force levels will return to an enduring maximum of 8,300 in 2010.”
This would include more specialist teams to deal with roadside bombs.
The 30-page AfPak document aims to counter criticism that the Government has no clear strategy for Britain's engagement in Afghanistan.
However, analysts questioned whether there was anything new in the dossier, apart from it being a written, public statement of objectives.
Britain is also expected to play a role in delivering aid and other help for at least two generations in Afghanistan.
Mr Brown said more than £650 million of aid will be given to Pakistan including at least £125,000 for anti-radicalisation education projects in border areas with Afghanistan. He told MPs these areas are the “greatest international priority” as they are “the breeding ground for international terrorists. They are the source of a chain of terror which links the mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan to the streets of Britain.”
Reader views (6)
Please stop this aimless war which had no result. USA, UK and other nations have spent lot of funds in shape of armed weapon and financial aid, but all in useless. They are fighting last eight year but no result.
Super powers are making us fool and frightened they are American and British Taliban's. Why Mr Brown aid to Pakistan more than Str 650 million anti-radicalisation education projects in border areas with Afghanistan. NO, NO, NO, it is not the greatest international priority. What use of this aid, in this remote area? The amount should be spent on public welfare projects. There are only primary and high schools. Just to maintained and provide them basic necessities i.e drinking water, electricity, road and transport. . It is their basic necessity to have armed weapons for self defense. Definite the funds will be used by the corrupted peoples as usual.
It is amazing, by the dint of financial crunch, the UK govt is requesting IMF for funding to stable the British economy, there are job axes in various organisations. Lot of unemployment.
Please Mr Brown spent this aid in your country and stop this war. Get back your soldiers. It is not the breeding ground for international terrorists. Stop providing them funds, most sophisticated weapon through your agencies i.e CIA,RAW,ISI, Musad, who are very active in this region. It is only media war.
Now, it is open secret on all TV talk show and news editorial, what happening in this region. The only salution to end this war
- M A Sular, London, 09/05/2009 08:05
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Finally Brown does something sensible and removes our Government from being firmly up the butt of the US where Blair stuffed us. I'm sure he's merely pandering for votes in the next election and making sure there's no more terrorist reprisals but at least it stops any more of our troops being used as cannon fodder. There are economic strategies and preventative methods that could be used instead of war to fight the Taliban and perhaps it might help if someone figured out how 90% of Afghanistan's heroin ends up here on the streets of the UK. Its quite a long way to come.
- Real, London, 30/04/2009 09:26
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Perhaps O'bama should have spent more on the gifts when Pa Broon rocked up after he moved in ?And not just sent the wife out to the garage to the bargain video display
- Big Russ, Croidung, 29/04/2009 22:19
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G Brown is probably worried that there'll be riots in the UK so no way is he going to offer more for anywhere else!
- Tony Islander, Herts, 29/04/2009 17:26
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Maybe Pa Gordo McRuin needs the Troops back here in the UK if Lieebore decides to enact a 'State of Emergency' because they don't want to give up power. But I jest really... or do I?
- Uncle Vanya, East Anglia Area UK, 29/04/2009 17:13
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another £650 MILLION IN AID TO PAKISTAN YET THEY CAN STILL BUILD NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND LONG RANGE ROCKETS GIVE THEM NOTHING. Brown is good at giving our hard earned money to wasters
- Danny, London, 29/04/2009 15:54
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