Tonight:
4°c
500 extra troops for Afghan war as Brown reads dead roll-call
Nicholas Cecil, Deputy Political Editor14 Oct 2009
Five hundred more British troops will be sent to southern Afghanistan where dozens have died in recent months, Gordon Brown announced today.
But the Prime Minister said that Afghan forces would have to take on greater responsibility for fighting the Taliban. After reading out a roll-call for the 37 British soldiers who died in the country this summer, Mr Brown announced that the Afghan army would set up a new headquarters in the southern Helmand province.
British forces will partner 5,000 of the 10,000 Afghan troops that the Allied force will be training. Mr Brown's hope is to speed up a British withdrawal by training Afghan forces.
However the strategy is beset by problems, including the failure to resolve the presidential election in Kabul, division in the White House over whether to risk a short-term troops “surge”, and a reluctance on the part of other Nato countries to provide troops. “We will now move further and faster to implement our strategy — one that starts with training, mentoring and partnering the Afghan army and police,” Mr Brown told MPs.
“The more the Afghans can take responsibility for security, the less our coalition forces will be needed in the long-term — and the sooner our troops will come home.”
Britain backed the aim of the US to increase the Afghan army to 134,000 by next October. However, the Prime Minister said there were conditions to boosting the British force level to 9,500, which included:
Military chiefs being satisfied that soldiers would get enough equipment. Other Nato allies making a “fair share” of the contributions.
The Afghan government demonstrating a commitment to speeding up the training of its army.
David Cameron questioned whether the Ministry of Defence was providing proper training and equipment.
Reader views (5)
Can we all say HYPOCRITE! Brown is an embarrassment to all British in exile. Just when you think he can stoop not further, he manages to continue on down the scale and has now reached the level of a bottom feeder.
And what do the present Servicepersonnel; Insults once again in the streets of Luton?
Or the ultimate insult of a potential Al Quadha training camp right in the heart of London in the form of a Super Mosque.
Actually your super mosque could be easy to deal with rather than have a living insult to the maimed and dead from Afghanistan.
If the Government are so crass as to ignore the sensibilities of law abiding citizens and polls then try a PEACEFUL STYLE 60's Woodstock Sit-In with each person attending armed with nothing more lethal than a lb of streaky bacon (the cheapest and smelliest bacon)and a can of beer/alcohol to fester in the sun of this hallowed ground.
To My Serving and Veteran Countrymen and women who have had to guts to "take the shilling" and serve Queen and Country with HONOUR. You are all heroes.
- British Veteran, British Columbia, Canada, 15/10/2009 07:37
Report abuse
I believe there is good cause for the British/Nato presence in Afghanistan, but that doesn't make it right for him to use the dead in this way. They've paid their dues. Let them rest in peace without having this political cheapskate politicise them for his own ends.
- Rogan, Irving, 15/10/2009 04:06
Report abuse
Brown, we are not impressed by your hypocrisy.
- David, Fleet Hampshire, 14/10/2009 13:40
Report abuse
I am listening to Gormless Brown reading typed lines of depression into a microphone, detailing the names of those poor soldiers who have sacrificed their lives in Afghanistan.
GORMLESS BROWN YOU ARE AN ABSOLUTE HYPOCRITE. YOU ARE AN IGNORANT, ARROGANT, DEVIOUS UNELECTED MUPPET AND THE SOONER YOU COLLECT YOUR P45 THE BETTER.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe Compound, EUSSR, 14/10/2009 12:15
Report abuse
Brown, don't waste your breath, you bleedin' hypocrite!
- Ted, London, 14/10/2009 10:24
Report abuse
