Generals tell Blair: reinforce Afghan mission

[spindrifter]

The Times July 01, 2006

By Philip Webster, Michael Evans and Tim Albone in Kabul



BRITAIN’S top generals appealed for the deployment of more planes and helicopters to Afghanistan yesterday, amid deepening alarm over the predicament of British troops there.

Sources close to Tony Blair said that he now considered the situation in Afghanistan to be “very dangerous”, and believed that the West had failed to grasp just how high the stakes are. The Prime Minister is urging governments to send more troops and equipment to support the British-led Nato mission and to restore the authority of the Afghan Government in the south.

<snip>

Although the US troop level of 23,000 will be maintained after responsibility for the south of the country has been handed over, the British Government is seeking greater military and political support from its other allies. Ministers say that both Spain, which has just 600 troops in Afghanistan’s relatively safe west, and Germany, which has 2,200 in the north, could do more.

British sources add that the US made Nato’s task far harder by launching one of its biggest military operations against the Taleban only weeks before Nato takes over. Operation Mountain Thrust had wrecked British plans for a hearts and minds campaign to be based on reconstruction.

<snip>

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2251664,00.html

[Kagemusha]

1. He can't say we didn't warn him

The Brits and Afghanistan have some history together. Like Americans and Hamburger Hill.

[spindrifter]

2. Yes--and one would hope that people

would learn from history. Ah, but the deals Tony and * struck while looking into each other's souls...