Friday, October 09, 2009 MANCHESTER: Conservative Party chief David Cameron pledged Thursday more troops for Afghanistan if he takes power next year.In a keynote speech to his party's annual conference he said former army chief Richard Dannatt, who has criticised the current Labour government over Afghanistan, could join his ministerial team."We cannot spend another eight years taking ground only to give it back again," he said, referring to military difficulties since the 2001 ouster of the Taliban in Afghanistan."So our method should be clear -- send more soldiers to train more Afghans to deliver the security we need. Then we can bring our troops home," added Cameron, who polls forecast will win elections due by next June.Dannatt, who retired in August, repeatedly embarrassed Prime Minister Gordon Brown's government while in office by saying troops in Afghanistan had not been given enough resources.On Tuesday this week he told the Sun newspaper the government had rejected a call for 2,000 extra troops this year and that forces had to fight on with "at least part of one arm" tied behind their back. Brown's aides denied this.Cameron said Dannatt's experience could be crucial in Whitehall, seat of government in London. "When the country is at war, when Whitehall is at war, we need people who understand war in Whitehall."That's why I'm proud to announce today that someone who has fought for our country and served for 40 years in our armed forces will not only advise our defence team but will join our benches in the House of Lords and, if we win the election, could serve in a future Conservative government."Cameron pledged a "ruthless, relentless focus on fighting (in Afghanistan), winning and coming home"."We need a strategy that is credible and do-able... We are not in Afghanistan to deliver the perfect society. We are there to stop the re-establishment of terrorist training camps," he added.British troops have suffered heavy losses in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban in Helmand province. The latest casualty was a soldier killed by an explosion on Monday, taking the death toll to 220 since 2001.The government is expected to meet in the next few days to decide whether to send more troops to boost the 9,000 already there -- already the second biggest deployment of any country after the United States.
Friday, October 09, 2009 MANCHESTER: Conservative Party chief David Cameron pledged Thursday more troops for Afghanistan if he takes power next year.In a keynote speech to his party's annual conference he said former army chief Richard Dannatt, who has criticised the current Labour government over Afghanistan, could join his ministerial team."We cannot spend another eight years taking ground only to give it back again," he said, referring to military difficulties since the 2001 ouster of the Taliban in Afghanistan."So our method should be clear -- send more soldiers to train more Afghans to deliver the security we need. Then we can bring our troops home," added Cameron, who polls forecast will win elections due by next June.Dannatt, who retired in August, repeatedly embarrassed Prime Minister Gordon Brown's government while in office by saying troops in Afghanistan had not been given enough resources.On Tuesday this week he told the Sun newspaper the government had rejected a call for 2,000 extra troops this year and that forces had to fight on with "at least part of one arm" tied behind their back. Brown's aides denied this.Cameron said Dannatt's experience could be crucial in Whitehall, seat of government in London. "When the country is at war, when Whitehall is at war, we need people who understand war in Whitehall."That's why I'm proud to announce today that someone who has fought for our country and served for 40 years in our armed forces will not only advise our defence team but will join our benches in the House of Lords and, if we win the election, could serve in a future Conservative government."Cameron pledged a "ruthless, relentless focus on fighting (in Afghanistan), winning and coming home"."We need a strategy that is credible and do-able... We are not in Afghanistan to deliver the perfect society. We are there to stop the re-establishment of terrorist training camps," he added.British troops have suffered heavy losses in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban in Helmand province. The latest casualty was a soldier killed by an explosion on Monday, taking the death toll to 220 since 2001.The government is expected to meet in the next few days to decide whether to send more troops to boost the 9,000 already there -- already the second biggest deployment of any country after the United States.
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