ianstone
07-21-2010, 07:56 AM
British troops could start coming back from Afghanistan next year, claims Cameron
By Mail Online Reporter (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Mail+Online+Reporter)
Last updated at 11:23 AM on 21st July 2010
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Britain could start withdrawing troops from Afghanistan as early as next year, David Cameron said today.
The Prime Minister insisted the UK could match a desire in the U.S. to start bringing its troops home from July 2011.
Mr Cameron has already declared his intention to have most British forces out of the war zone by 2015.
And at the weekend, Defence Secretary Liam Fox said even this was 'conservative' and they would aim to be out by 2014.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/07/21/article-1296472-0A81D4C5000005DC-592_468x408.jpg Home soon? Scots Guards searching for bombs in Afghanistan this week
Britain currently has 9,500 soldiers in the country with numbers set to increase before UK troops pull-out of the violent Sangin region.
More...
'I won't be here for a long time but I love you very much': Soldier's recorded message to baby daughter played at his funeral (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1296270/Daughter-hero-soldier-wipes-away-tears-servicemen-killed-Afghan-traitor-brought-home.html)
Mr Cameron, asked if British soldiers could come home from next year, said: 'Yes, we can but it should be based on the conditions on the ground.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/07/21/article-1296472-0A83690A000005DC-950_233x329.jpg Withdrawal: David Cameron at the White House yesterday
'I mean, the faster we can transition districts and provinces to Afghan control, clearly the faster that some forces can be brought home,' he told the BBC.
'I don't want to raise expectations about that because that transition should be based on how well the security situation is progressing.'
He reassured the British public there would be no 'combat troops or large numbers' in Afghanistan by 2015.
His comments came after he discussed the war with President Barack Obama at the White House and an international summit in Kabul yesterday.
Both men are under strong domestic pressure to bring troops home but have also said they are determined to succeed in their mission to stabilize the country.
'Victory in this war is being able to hand over to an Afghan government and an Afghan army and police force that are capable of securing their own country,' he told GMTV.
William Hague, in Kabul for yesterday's conference, was forced to deny the conflict in Afghanistan is 'unwinnable'.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/07/21/article-1296472-0A823768000005DC-314_468x290.jpg United front: Afghan President Hamid Karzai with Hillary Clinton, William Hague and other foreign ministers in Kabul yesterday
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/07/21/article-1296472-0A8285FD000005DC-908_468x301.jpg Summit: The lavish Foreign Affairs Ministry in Kabul where foreign ministers discussed the conflict and how to hand back control
The Foreign Secretary was was pushed on the defensive after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed American doubts about whether success against the Taliban is 'even possible'.
More than 70 foreign ministers agreed Afghans would take control of the country's security by 2014, allowing NATO troops to come off the frontline.
Mr Hague told Radio 4: 'We have said we won't be there in five years' time with combat troops in combat but that's not remotely saying we cannot win.'
For British troops to come home, Afghan soldiers and police need to take over security and critics are sceptical they will be up to the task.
A total of 322 British soldiers have now been killed in the conflict since it was launched in 2001.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1296472/British-troops-start-coming-Afghanistan-year-suggests-Cameron.html#ixzz0uJii2RPu
By Mail Online Reporter (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Mail+Online+Reporter)
Last updated at 11:23 AM on 21st July 2010
Comments (0) (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1296472/British-troops-start-coming-Afghanistan-year-suggests-Cameron.html#comments)
Add to My Stories (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1296472/British-troops-start-coming-Afghanistan-year-suggests-Cameron.html)
Britain could start withdrawing troops from Afghanistan as early as next year, David Cameron said today.
The Prime Minister insisted the UK could match a desire in the U.S. to start bringing its troops home from July 2011.
Mr Cameron has already declared his intention to have most British forces out of the war zone by 2015.
And at the weekend, Defence Secretary Liam Fox said even this was 'conservative' and they would aim to be out by 2014.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/07/21/article-1296472-0A81D4C5000005DC-592_468x408.jpg Home soon? Scots Guards searching for bombs in Afghanistan this week
Britain currently has 9,500 soldiers in the country with numbers set to increase before UK troops pull-out of the violent Sangin region.
More...
'I won't be here for a long time but I love you very much': Soldier's recorded message to baby daughter played at his funeral (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1296270/Daughter-hero-soldier-wipes-away-tears-servicemen-killed-Afghan-traitor-brought-home.html)
Mr Cameron, asked if British soldiers could come home from next year, said: 'Yes, we can but it should be based on the conditions on the ground.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/07/21/article-1296472-0A83690A000005DC-950_233x329.jpg Withdrawal: David Cameron at the White House yesterday
'I mean, the faster we can transition districts and provinces to Afghan control, clearly the faster that some forces can be brought home,' he told the BBC.
'I don't want to raise expectations about that because that transition should be based on how well the security situation is progressing.'
He reassured the British public there would be no 'combat troops or large numbers' in Afghanistan by 2015.
His comments came after he discussed the war with President Barack Obama at the White House and an international summit in Kabul yesterday.
Both men are under strong domestic pressure to bring troops home but have also said they are determined to succeed in their mission to stabilize the country.
'Victory in this war is being able to hand over to an Afghan government and an Afghan army and police force that are capable of securing their own country,' he told GMTV.
William Hague, in Kabul for yesterday's conference, was forced to deny the conflict in Afghanistan is 'unwinnable'.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/07/21/article-1296472-0A823768000005DC-314_468x290.jpg United front: Afghan President Hamid Karzai with Hillary Clinton, William Hague and other foreign ministers in Kabul yesterday
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/07/21/article-1296472-0A8285FD000005DC-908_468x301.jpg Summit: The lavish Foreign Affairs Ministry in Kabul where foreign ministers discussed the conflict and how to hand back control
The Foreign Secretary was was pushed on the defensive after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed American doubts about whether success against the Taliban is 'even possible'.
More than 70 foreign ministers agreed Afghans would take control of the country's security by 2014, allowing NATO troops to come off the frontline.
Mr Hague told Radio 4: 'We have said we won't be there in five years' time with combat troops in combat but that's not remotely saying we cannot win.'
For British troops to come home, Afghan soldiers and police need to take over security and critics are sceptical they will be up to the task.
A total of 322 British soldiers have now been killed in the conflict since it was launched in 2001.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1296472/British-troops-start-coming-Afghanistan-year-suggests-Cameron.html#ixzz0uJii2RPu