bobdina
11-30-2009, 01:58 PM
From The Sunday Times
November 29, 2009
Cuts ground special forces’ helicopters
Stephen Grey and Michael Smith
HELICOPTERS used by British special forces to mentor their Afghan counterparts on anti-drugs operations have been grounded to save just £2m a year. The funding for the helicopters — used by the Special Boat Service (SBS) and Afghan special forces for raids on drugs barons and Taliban insurgents — was cut by the Foreign Office two months ago.
The decision came despite Gordon Brown’s announcement that Britain’s “exit strategy” rests on training Afghan forces to take over its role.
The Foreign Office refused to discuss the funding but privately officials confirmed the money was cut amid vain hopes that the Americans would foot the bill instead.
The mission, known as Operation Emperor, involved SBS commandos training the Afghan special narcotics force as well as mentoring them.
In June last year, it resulted in the seizure of 262 tons of cannabis in Kandahar province, the world’s largest drugs haul.
Des Browne, the former defence secretary, told MPs in May 2007 that the operation was “highly effective” at detecting Taliban communications and supply routes from Pakistan.
“It was a highly successful mission and the Afghans were getting better every day,” a special forces source said last week. “The paltry sums involved were getting a pretty valuable return.”
The Afghan military supplied four Russian-made MI-8 Hip helicopters but could not afford to run them so the Foreign Office agreed to fund the costs of the fuel and upkeep.
The helicopters were flown by British pilots from 7 Squadron, RAF special forces. But despite Britain’s lead role in the Afghan drugs operations the Foreign Office is cutting its overall funding from £49.2m last year to £36.7m this year.
Ed Butler, who commanded British troops when they first deployed to Helmand in 2006, said: “It strikes me as pretty counter-intuitive and verging on the ridiculous to cut this funding when the government is stressing the training of Afghan security forces as a way of withdrawing our troops.”
The Conservatives said it “beggared belief" that the Foreign Office should withdraw funding from what was clearly an important project. Liam Fox, the shadow defence secretary, said: “For British troops to leave safely, we need to have fully trained Afghan security forces. This cut will undermine that task.”
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6936347.ece
November 29, 2009
Cuts ground special forces’ helicopters
Stephen Grey and Michael Smith
HELICOPTERS used by British special forces to mentor their Afghan counterparts on anti-drugs operations have been grounded to save just £2m a year. The funding for the helicopters — used by the Special Boat Service (SBS) and Afghan special forces for raids on drugs barons and Taliban insurgents — was cut by the Foreign Office two months ago.
The decision came despite Gordon Brown’s announcement that Britain’s “exit strategy” rests on training Afghan forces to take over its role.
The Foreign Office refused to discuss the funding but privately officials confirmed the money was cut amid vain hopes that the Americans would foot the bill instead.
The mission, known as Operation Emperor, involved SBS commandos training the Afghan special narcotics force as well as mentoring them.
In June last year, it resulted in the seizure of 262 tons of cannabis in Kandahar province, the world’s largest drugs haul.
Des Browne, the former defence secretary, told MPs in May 2007 that the operation was “highly effective” at detecting Taliban communications and supply routes from Pakistan.
“It was a highly successful mission and the Afghans were getting better every day,” a special forces source said last week. “The paltry sums involved were getting a pretty valuable return.”
The Afghan military supplied four Russian-made MI-8 Hip helicopters but could not afford to run them so the Foreign Office agreed to fund the costs of the fuel and upkeep.
The helicopters were flown by British pilots from 7 Squadron, RAF special forces. But despite Britain’s lead role in the Afghan drugs operations the Foreign Office is cutting its overall funding from £49.2m last year to £36.7m this year.
Ed Butler, who commanded British troops when they first deployed to Helmand in 2006, said: “It strikes me as pretty counter-intuitive and verging on the ridiculous to cut this funding when the government is stressing the training of Afghan security forces as a way of withdrawing our troops.”
The Conservatives said it “beggared belief" that the Foreign Office should withdraw funding from what was clearly an important project. Liam Fox, the shadow defence secretary, said: “For British troops to leave safely, we need to have fully trained Afghan security forces. This cut will undermine that task.”
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6936347.ece