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| Army head calls for more troops | Army head calls for more troops |
| (about 23 hours later) | |
| More troops are needed in the Afghan province of Helmand to provide security, the outgoing head of the British Army has told the BBC. | More troops are needed in the Afghan province of Helmand to provide security, the outgoing head of the British Army has told the BBC. |
| General Sir Richard Dannatt said "more boots" were needed, whether they were British, American or Afghan troops. | General Sir Richard Dannatt said "more boots" were needed, whether they were British, American or Afghan troops. |
| His comments come after 15 UK soldiers were killed this month and a political row over resources for British troops. | His comments come after 15 UK soldiers were killed this month and a political row over resources for British troops. |
| Gordon Brown said the government was doing "everything we can to support our brave and courageous armed forces". | Gordon Brown said the government was doing "everything we can to support our brave and courageous armed forces". |
| On his last trip to Afghanistan before retiring this month, Gen Dannatt told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I have said before, we can have effect where we have boots on the ground. | On his last trip to Afghanistan before retiring this month, Gen Dannatt told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I have said before, we can have effect where we have boots on the ground. |
| "I don't mind whether the feet in those boots are British, American or Afghan, but we need more to have the persistent effect to give the people (of Helmand) confidence in us. | "I don't mind whether the feet in those boots are British, American or Afghan, but we need more to have the persistent effect to give the people (of Helmand) confidence in us. |
| "That is the top line and the bottom line." | "That is the top line and the bottom line." |
| He was speaking the day after the bodies of eight British servicemen killed in Afghanistan - three of them teenagers - were repatriated to Britain. | He was speaking the day after the bodies of eight British servicemen killed in Afghanistan - three of them teenagers - were repatriated to Britain. |
| 'Burden-sharing' | 'Burden-sharing' |
| Asked why he was flown around Afghanistan in an American helicopter he said it was because he did not have a British one. | Asked why he was flown around Afghanistan in an American helicopter he said it was because he did not have a British one. |
| "There is a pool and we share the assets, but we have got to put as much into the pool as we take out." | "There is a pool and we share the assets, but we have got to put as much into the pool as we take out." |
| On whether Britain's 9,100-strong force in Afghanistan has the equipment it needs, he said: "We are building our resources up. | On whether Britain's 9,100-strong force in Afghanistan has the equipment it needs, he said: "We are building our resources up. |
| "In terms of equipment, we have got a plan to increase the amount of campaign equipment we've got. | "In terms of equipment, we have got a plan to increase the amount of campaign equipment we've got. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme |
| "It has probably not moved as fast as I would have liked it to have moved, but we are increasing the numbers. | "It has probably not moved as fast as I would have liked it to have moved, but we are increasing the numbers. |
| "I would like to get more energy behind it if we possibly can." | "I would like to get more energy behind it if we possibly can." |
| Downing Street said Britain was calling on other Nato countries to provide more troops to Afghanistan. | Downing Street said Britain was calling on other Nato countries to provide more troops to Afghanistan. |
| The prime minister's spokesman said: "We do need to have more of an effort from other Nato members. | The prime minister's spokesman said: "We do need to have more of an effort from other Nato members. |
| "The PM's view is we need to see more burden-sharing." | "The PM's view is we need to see more burden-sharing." |
| The government had kept the level of British troops under review, with the number increasing from 7,800 last year, to more than 9,000 now, said the spokesman. | The government had kept the level of British troops under review, with the number increasing from 7,800 last year, to more than 9,000 now, said the spokesman. |
| Helicopters | Helicopters |
| The situation in Afghanistan dominated prime minister's questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday. | The situation in Afghanistan dominated prime minister's questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday. |
| Conservative leader David Cameron complained that UK troops had just 30 helicopters to call on in Afghanistan - out of the UK's total military fleet of some 500 - compared with about 100 in operation for the same number of US troops. | Conservative leader David Cameron complained that UK troops had just 30 helicopters to call on in Afghanistan - out of the UK's total military fleet of some 500 - compared with about 100 in operation for the same number of US troops. |
| He said the relatives of those serving in Afghanistan wanted to know ministers had a "relentless commitment" to providing all the resources necessary. | He said the relatives of those serving in Afghanistan wanted to know ministers had a "relentless commitment" to providing all the resources necessary. |
| "We have to be frank about the dangers and difficulties in Afghanistan and one of the difficulties is a shortage of helicopters," Mr Cameron said. | "We have to be frank about the dangers and difficulties in Afghanistan and one of the difficulties is a shortage of helicopters," Mr Cameron said. |
| The prime minister responded: "We have done everything that we can to increase the number of helicopters and there will be more Merlin helicopters on the ground. | The prime minister responded: "We have done everything that we can to increase the number of helicopters and there will be more Merlin helicopters on the ground. |
| We have to make sure that terrorism cannot hit the streets of Britain and that's why we cannot allow the Taliban or al-Qaeda-related activities to flourish Prime Minister Gordon Brown PM defiant on Afghan equipment | We have to make sure that terrorism cannot hit the streets of Britain and that's why we cannot allow the Taliban or al-Qaeda-related activities to flourish Prime Minister Gordon Brown PM defiant on Afghan equipment |
| "And I do ask the Conservative Party to look at the statements that are being made by those people who speak for our armed forces on the ground; they have made it absolutely clear that in this particular instance, while the loss of life is tragic and sad, it is not to do with helicopters." | "And I do ask the Conservative Party to look at the statements that are being made by those people who speak for our armed forces on the ground; they have made it absolutely clear that in this particular instance, while the loss of life is tragic and sad, it is not to do with helicopters." |
| The prime minister said army chiefs in Afghanistan were satisfied they had the equipment to do the job asked of them and the army was better equipped than ever. | The prime minister said army chiefs in Afghanistan were satisfied they had the equipment to do the job asked of them and the army was better equipped than ever. |
| "I believe we are making the provision necessary for helicopters and equipment on the ground," he said. | "I believe we are making the provision necessary for helicopters and equipment on the ground," he said. |
| Mr Cameron insisted that he supported the UK mission in Afghanistan, but complained of "lofty and vague" aims and a need for a more tightly-defined campaign mission. | Mr Cameron insisted that he supported the UK mission in Afghanistan, but complained of "lofty and vague" aims and a need for a more tightly-defined campaign mission. |
| But Mr Brown said: "The purpose of our mission is very clear: to prevent terrorism coming to the streets of Britain." | But Mr Brown said: "The purpose of our mission is very clear: to prevent terrorism coming to the streets of Britain." |
| He said "complementary action" was under way in Afghanistan and Pakistan, as a "necessary means of defeating terrorism in the world". | He said "complementary action" was under way in Afghanistan and Pakistan, as a "necessary means of defeating terrorism in the world". |
| "It was true in 2001 that al-Qaeda was given cover by the Taliban in Afghanistan. It's also true that al-Qaeda is mainly based in north Pakistan now. | "It was true in 2001 that al-Qaeda was given cover by the Taliban in Afghanistan. It's also true that al-Qaeda is mainly based in north Pakistan now. |
| "We have to make sure that terrorism cannot hit the streets of Britain and that's why we cannot allow the Taliban or al-Qaeda-related activities to flourish in Pakistan and we cannot allow the Pakistan government to be over-run by people operating through al-Qaeda and the Pakistan Taliban. | "We have to make sure that terrorism cannot hit the streets of Britain and that's why we cannot allow the Taliban or al-Qaeda-related activities to flourish in Pakistan and we cannot allow the Pakistan government to be over-run by people operating through al-Qaeda and the Pakistan Taliban. |
| "What's encouraging ... is that for the first time we see the Pakistan government taking direct action in a systematic way, with the support of the population, against the Taliban and against al-Qaeda." | "What's encouraging ... is that for the first time we see the Pakistan government taking direct action in a systematic way, with the support of the population, against the Taliban and against al-Qaeda." |