ianstone
06-14-2010, 08:57 PM
From The Times
June 15, 2010
Britain must prepare for casualty spike in Afghanistan, Cameron warns
Deborah Haynes, Defence Editor
(http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article7149956.ece#none)
div#related-article-links p a, div#related-article-links p a:visited {color:#06c;} David Cameron warned yesterday that there would be more British deaths in Afghanistan this summer but said that the threat to Britain of an al-Qaeda attack from the region had dropped.
Delivering his first statement to Parliament on the war since taking office as Prime Minister, he pledged that British troops would not remain in Afghanistan a moment longer than was necessary.
“This is the vital year,” said the Prime Minister, who visited Afghanistan last week to speak to President Karzai and elements of Britain’s contingent of more than 10,000 troops, largely based in the southern province of Helmand.
“We have the Forces needed on the ground. We have our very best people, not just military but leading on the diplomatic and development front as well, but I do not pretend that it will be easy.
Related Links
Afghanistan has $1 trillion mineral deposits (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/natural_resources/article7149696.ece)
“We must be ready for further casualties over the summer months as the so-called fighting season resumes and as Isaf \ extends its activity.”
Yesterday Lance Corporal Andrew Breeze, of 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment, was named as the 295th member of the British Services to die in Afghanistan since the campaign began in 2001. Mr Cameron paid tribute to the soldier, 31, from Manchester, who was killed in an explosion on Saturday.
Mindful of the need for continued public support, he reiterated the importance of the Afghan endeavour to keep British streets safe.
“Our Forces are in Afghanistan to prevent Afghan territory again being used by al-Qaeda as a base to plan attacks on the United Kingdom or our allies,” the Prime Minister said.
He noted that 18 months ago some 75 per cent of the most serious terrorist plots against Britain had links to the border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Yesterday Mr Cameron said that the level of threat from al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan had dropped but only because of the presence of British and other Nato-led forces.
“Afghanistan is not yet strong enough to look after its own security and that is why we are there,” he said.
Training the Afghan police and Army was critical to enable Britain and other coalition forces to leave. “The Afghan people do not want foreign forces on their soil for any longer than necessary and the British people are rightly impatient for progress. Our Forces will not remain in Afghanistan a day longer than is necessary. I want to bring them home the moment it is safe to do so,” he said.
Mr Cameron threw his support behind a plan endorsed by President Obama and drawn up by General Stanley McChrystal, the top American commander in Afghanistan, which uses a “surge” of US and other Nato troops this year as a means to gain the initiative against the resilient Taleban insurgency. US, Canadian and Afghan forces are preparing for an operation in and around the southern city of Kandahar, which neighbours Helmand province. The move comes months after a big offensive to reclaim restive parts of central Helmand from the Taleban.
The Prime Minister paid tribute to Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, the Chief of the Defence Staff, and Sir Bill Jeffrey, the Permanent Under-Secretary at the Ministry of Defence, who will step down early, at the end of October after the defence review. He said: “They have both been and they both are extremely strong and dedicated public servants and everyone in this country owes them that thank-you
Losses are never easy to accept Alas inevitable in the summer
June 15, 2010
Britain must prepare for casualty spike in Afghanistan, Cameron warns
Deborah Haynes, Defence Editor
(http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article7149956.ece#none)
div#related-article-links p a, div#related-article-links p a:visited {color:#06c;} David Cameron warned yesterday that there would be more British deaths in Afghanistan this summer but said that the threat to Britain of an al-Qaeda attack from the region had dropped.
Delivering his first statement to Parliament on the war since taking office as Prime Minister, he pledged that British troops would not remain in Afghanistan a moment longer than was necessary.
“This is the vital year,” said the Prime Minister, who visited Afghanistan last week to speak to President Karzai and elements of Britain’s contingent of more than 10,000 troops, largely based in the southern province of Helmand.
“We have the Forces needed on the ground. We have our very best people, not just military but leading on the diplomatic and development front as well, but I do not pretend that it will be easy.
Related Links
Afghanistan has $1 trillion mineral deposits (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/natural_resources/article7149696.ece)
“We must be ready for further casualties over the summer months as the so-called fighting season resumes and as Isaf \ extends its activity.”
Yesterday Lance Corporal Andrew Breeze, of 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment, was named as the 295th member of the British Services to die in Afghanistan since the campaign began in 2001. Mr Cameron paid tribute to the soldier, 31, from Manchester, who was killed in an explosion on Saturday.
Mindful of the need for continued public support, he reiterated the importance of the Afghan endeavour to keep British streets safe.
“Our Forces are in Afghanistan to prevent Afghan territory again being used by al-Qaeda as a base to plan attacks on the United Kingdom or our allies,” the Prime Minister said.
He noted that 18 months ago some 75 per cent of the most serious terrorist plots against Britain had links to the border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Yesterday Mr Cameron said that the level of threat from al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan had dropped but only because of the presence of British and other Nato-led forces.
“Afghanistan is not yet strong enough to look after its own security and that is why we are there,” he said.
Training the Afghan police and Army was critical to enable Britain and other coalition forces to leave. “The Afghan people do not want foreign forces on their soil for any longer than necessary and the British people are rightly impatient for progress. Our Forces will not remain in Afghanistan a day longer than is necessary. I want to bring them home the moment it is safe to do so,” he said.
Mr Cameron threw his support behind a plan endorsed by President Obama and drawn up by General Stanley McChrystal, the top American commander in Afghanistan, which uses a “surge” of US and other Nato troops this year as a means to gain the initiative against the resilient Taleban insurgency. US, Canadian and Afghan forces are preparing for an operation in and around the southern city of Kandahar, which neighbours Helmand province. The move comes months after a big offensive to reclaim restive parts of central Helmand from the Taleban.
The Prime Minister paid tribute to Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, the Chief of the Defence Staff, and Sir Bill Jeffrey, the Permanent Under-Secretary at the Ministry of Defence, who will step down early, at the end of October after the defence review. He said: “They have both been and they both are extremely strong and dedicated public servants and everyone in this country owes them that thank-you
Losses are never easy to accept Alas inevitable in the summer