Gordon Brown plans troops surge in Afghanistan

[Karmadillo]

Source: The Guardian

Thousands more troops could be sent to Afghanistan within months under an emergency review of the UK mission being carried out by the Ministry of Defence.

The news of a possible troop surge comes after eight British soldiers were killed within 24 hours, leading to fresh calls from senior military and political figures for urgent reinforcements - and an end to Treasury constraints on spending on the Afghan war. Fifteen British soldiers have died during the first 11 days of July, with the total of 184 deaths surpassing the 179 killed in Iraq. Two of the soldiers who died on Thursday have been named as Daniel Hume, 22, from 4th Bn, The Rifles, and John Brackpool of the Prince of Wales's Company, 1st Bn Welsh Guards, who would have celebrated his 28th birthday yesterday.

<edit>

In his Sky News interview, Obama said: "The likelihood of a terrorist attack in London is just as high, if not higher, than it is in the US, that's why Tony Blair and now Gordon Brown have made this commitment. It is not because they wish to put their young men and women in harm's way."

In a letter released to Commons select committee chairmen before an appearance before parliament's liaison committee this week, Brown said the past few days had been "extraordinarily difficult", but also made clear that troop numbers could be raised to build on successes against the Taliban. "We will, of course, continue to review our force levels, based on the advice of our commanders and discussions with allies," he wrote.

more...

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/12/afghanistan-taliban-troops-emergency-review-ministry-of-defence

[Tangerine LaBamba]

1. Wrong, wrong, wrong -

bad, bad, bad.

This is just plain wrong.

We all need to get the hell out of Afghanistan right now............................

[dflprincess]

2. I thought the British learned their lesson about Afghanistan in the 19th century (eom)

[earthside]

3. "The Tory Prime Minister"

We'll be hearing that in that not too distant future.

[BunkerHill24]

4. Brits want to keep troops in Iraq too...

Sadrists paralyze parliament, say no to UK
Sat, 11 Jul 2009 18:05:47 GMT

Iraqi lawmakers loyal to Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr have suspended a parliament session that would have voted on a pact which would allow UK troops to stay in the country.

The parliament was forced to suspend the session after Sadrist lawmakers walked out before the vote, Reuters reported.

The issue that was under discussion was whether to allow up to 100 British troops to stay in the country after June 30 when their mandate expires.

<snip>

Head of the Sadr bloc Aqeel Abdul-Hussei said that his fellow Sadrists were opposed to any deal which would legitimize the presence of foreign forces in the country.

The agreement "is an extension of occupation forces which no noble person can accept ... We call upon our people to support us in this challenge", he added.

While based on a deal between the UK and Iraq, British troops have to leave Iraq by the end of June, British officials are willing to keep 100 troops in the country allegedly to protect oil platforms off Iraq's southern coast.

http://www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=100424§ionid=351020201

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Same day, different paper: "Revealed: Brown's secret plan to cut Afghanistan force by 1,500"

Ministers are secretly planning to cut the number of British troops in Afghanistan, at a time when defence chiefs are appealing for thousands more reinforcements to meet the deadly threat from the resurgent Taliban.

Hours after the death toll of UK forces in Afghanistan rose above the number killed in Iraq, The Independent on Sunday established that Gordon Brown wants to bring up to 1,500 service personnel home from the war-torn country after its elections next month, seemingly on grounds of cost.

Astonished former military chiefs condemned the "disastrous" move, which emerged at the end of one of the bloodiest weeks in the recent history of the British military.
....
But a senior MoD source yesterday said the Prime Minister wanted up to 1,500 personnel – troops and support staff – pulled out of Afghanistan once the election campaign is concluded. The decision conflicts with demands for an Obama-style surge to defeat the Taliban threat, and comes only weeks after Mr Brown rejected a request from defence chiefs for 2,000 more troops.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/revealed-browns-secret-plan-to-cut-afghanistan-force-by-1500-1742747.html

I think there's a lot of speculation going on, with nothing actually decided.