Reinforcements for Afghanistan forces
By Alex Stevenson
Gordon Brown has told MPs Britain’s approach against the Taliban will shift towards its border areas with Pakistan, as he announced 700 more troops will be sent to Afghanistan this year.
In a statement to MPs the prime minister said the number of British troops in Afghanistan would rise to 9,000 later this year.
The reinforcements will be used to help troops already on the ground counter the improvised explosive devices – roadside bombs – who have caused many of the 153 British fatalities in the country since 2001.
Troop numbers are expected to fall back to around 8,300 for the whole of 2010.
Mr Brown focused on the mountainous border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan where the Taliban hold ‘safe havens’ against coalition forces.
He underlined the government’s argument that there is a “chain” of terrorism stretching from Pakistan’s lawless autonomous areas to Britain.
And he told the Commons the best way to protect British troops on the ground in Helmand province is to address the situation in Pakistan.
“The focus has to be more than ever before on the border areas between Afghanistan and Pakistan,” he said.
Analysts fear Pakistan is in danger of becoming a failing state and that so far Britain and other western states have neglected its importance in dealing with the situation across the border in Afghanistan.
Conservative leader David Cameron criticised Britain for not having a similar strategy to US president Barack Obama’s and said the government had to do all it could to stop “the Taliban’s advance, frankly, to Islamabad”.
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said it was clear public support for Britain’s military involvement in the country was “under strain”. He called for a strategic defence review.
Mr Brown’s statement comes following the death of a British soldier in south Afghanistan.
The soldier, from 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, was the 153rd member of service personnel to die in Afghanistan since the Taliban were ousted from power in 2001.
