Afternoon:
9°c
The war in Afghanistan is - notwithstanding the steady toll of British deaths and the deployment of more than 9,000 personnel - largely being fought by the Americans.
The great question, then, is whether President Barack Obama will agree to the recommendation of the US general Stanley McChrystal to send 40,000 more troops.
The latest indications are that he will - on the understanding that other forces in the Western alliance agree to provide 10 per cent of that total, or 4,000 troops.
Yet the fact is that only Britain and Turkey are proposing significantly to increase their numbers in Afghanistan. The Prime Minister has promised 500 more troops if other Nato countries follow suit. Yet no such further commitment is forthcoming.
Countries, such as Germany, which profess effusive regard for President Obama personally seem reluctant to embody that regard in men on the ground.
There are many arguments against the war in Afghanistan; right now only a minority of people are convinced by the Government's case for participating in the conflict, namely, that it makes us safer at home.
But even if we were to accept that Nato's ends - to keep al Qaeda out of Afghanistan - could be achieved without fighting this war, it would be impossible to withdraw British personnel any time soon.
The Afghan army must be trained in far greater numbers and to a higher level before a gradual disengagement from Afghanistan could even be contemplated.
It is, in short, possible to argue that Britain should commit the extra 500 soldiers even without other Nato countries doing the same, while keeping our options for withdrawal in the medium term open.
It would also be a telling act of solidarity with our US allies. But the Government should play its part by reminding fellow European governments that they too have responsibilities for this conflict; they must commit greater numbers of troops on the ground - and be prepared, in the case of the Germans, to put them in harm's way - or else follow the example of Japan, which has committed £3 billion in aid to Afghanistan.
This is a conflict overwhelmingly dominated by the US but while it lasts, we must all play our part in its resolution.
Primary school chaos
The critical shortage of primary school places in several London boroughs which we report today is going to get worse over the next three years: several boroughs will need more than 2,000 extra places each over the next three years.
In one sense, the crisis is inexcusable. Councils should be able to predict from the birth rate what the likely demand for school places will be.
But higher than anticipated birth-rates, particularly for some immigrant groups, have played havoc with the projections; moreover, parents with young children are less likely to move out of London as a result of the drop in house prices.
On the bright side, some at least of the shortfall is a result of increased demand. Many parents no longer feel they have to buy their way out of state schools; that suggests that standards have improved.
Resolving the problem will require more money from government.
It puts the row about Mr Brown's plans to fund more nursery places for two-year-olds into perspective if councils cannot provide places for the four-year-olds they are obliged to educate.
Remember the dead
The 11th day of the 11th month is when we remember the dead of the First World War and succeeding conflicts.
Even 91 years after the Great War it is worth pausing today for a minute's silence to remember what we owe the fallen.
