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| Brown to defend Afghan strategy | Brown to defend Afghan strategy |
| (11 minutes later) | |
| Gordon Brown is to give a major speech restating his commitment to the mission in Afghanistan, after a ministerial aide resigned over government strategy. | Gordon Brown is to give a major speech restating his commitment to the mission in Afghanistan, after a ministerial aide resigned over government strategy. |
| On Thursday, Labour MP Eric Joyce, a parliamentary aide to Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth, quit saying a time limit should be set on the troop deployment. | On Thursday, Labour MP Eric Joyce, a parliamentary aide to Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth, quit saying a time limit should be set on the troop deployment. |
| But the prime minister will say: "When the security of our country is at stake we cannot walk away." | But the prime minister will say: "When the security of our country is at stake we cannot walk away." |
| He will also say that financial and logistical support is being increased. | He will also say that financial and logistical support is being increased. |
| I do not think the public will accept for much longer that our losses can be justified by simply referring to the risk of greater terrorism on our streets Eric Joyce Resignation letter: Full text Reaction to resignation | I do not think the public will accept for much longer that our losses can be justified by simply referring to the risk of greater terrorism on our streets Eric Joyce Resignation letter: Full text Reaction to resignation |
| "Each time I ask myself if we are doing the right thing by being in Afghanistan and if we can justify sending our young men and women to fight for this cause, my answer has always been yes," Mr Brown will say. | "Each time I ask myself if we are doing the right thing by being in Afghanistan and if we can justify sending our young men and women to fight for this cause, my answer has always been yes," Mr Brown will say. |
| He will argue that the mission's purpose is to protect British people from the threat of terrorism, saying it is an international mission involving over 40 countries, "with the full support of the UN, the G8, NATO and the EU - because we all face the same threat". | He will argue that the mission's purpose is to protect British people from the threat of terrorism, saying it is an international mission involving over 40 countries, "with the full support of the UN, the G8, NATO and the EU - because we all face the same threat". |
| And speaking about what will be considered successful conclusion to the operation, he will say :"We will have succeeded when our troops are coming home because the Afghans are doing the job themselves". | And speaking about what will be considered successful conclusion to the operation, he will say :"We will have succeeded when our troops are coming home because the Afghans are doing the job themselves". |
| 'Uncertainty' | 'Uncertainty' |
| Mr Joyce's resignation came on the day the Ministry of Defence announced the deaths of two more soldiers in Afghanistan, taking the number of service personnel killed there since operations began in 2001 to 212. | Mr Joyce's resignation came on the day the Ministry of Defence announced the deaths of two more soldiers in Afghanistan, taking the number of service personnel killed there since operations began in 2001 to 212. |
| ERIC JOYCE FACTFILE Eric Joyce spent 21 years in the Army, rising to the rank of major in the Black Watch, before leaving in 1999. | ERIC JOYCE FACTFILE Eric Joyce spent 21 years in the Army, rising to the rank of major in the Black Watch, before leaving in 1999. |
| A year later, he was elected MP for Falkirk West in a by-election. | A year later, he was elected MP for Falkirk West in a by-election. |
| He has served as an aide to four ministers including two defence secretaries and has been a strong supporter of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. | He has served as an aide to four ministers including two defence secretaries and has been a strong supporter of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. |
| Last month he criticised the government's decision to appeal against compensation awards for two wounded soldiers, calling the move "bonkers". Aide quits over Afghan strategy | Last month he criticised the government's decision to appeal against compensation awards for two wounded soldiers, calling the move "bonkers". Aide quits over Afghan strategy |
| In his resignation letter the former army major said: "I do not think the public will accept for much longer that our losses can be justified by simply referring to the risk of greater terrorism on our streets. | |
| "Nor do I think we can continue with the present level of uncertainty about the future of our deployment in Afghanistan." | "Nor do I think we can continue with the present level of uncertainty about the future of our deployment in Afghanistan." |
| In response, Mr Brown said he was determined that nothing would "distract my government from this most vital of tasks". | In response, Mr Brown said he was determined that nothing would "distract my government from this most vital of tasks". |
| And Mr Ainsworth said: "Our mission in Afghanistan is vital to our national security. We will not walk away from that responsibility." | And Mr Ainsworth said: "Our mission in Afghanistan is vital to our national security. We will not walk away from that responsibility." |
| There are currently more than 9,000 UK troops in Afghanistan. | There are currently more than 9,000 UK troops in Afghanistan. |
| The political consensus in the UK over the Afghan mission has broken down in recent months with opposition parties questioning whether troops are sufficiently equipped for the operation. | The political consensus in the UK over the Afghan mission has broken down in recent months with opposition parties questioning whether troops are sufficiently equipped for the operation. |
| 'Disquiet' | 'Disquiet' |
| But Mr Brown, who is expected to be accompanied by the new Army head Gen Sir David Richards, will say on Friday that military spending is rising in excess of the increase in troop numbers. | But Mr Brown, who is expected to be accompanied by the new Army head Gen Sir David Richards, will say on Friday that military spending is rising in excess of the increase in troop numbers. |
| He will say it was about £180,000 per year to support each soldier fighting in 2006 but is now over twice that, £390,000 for each soldier. | He will say it was about £180,000 per year to support each soldier fighting in 2006 but is now over twice that, £390,000 for each soldier. |
| "So be in no doubt: we are giving our service men and women the additional resources they need to keep themselves safe, to fight and succeed in their operations and to bring security to Afghanistan," he will add. | "So be in no doubt: we are giving our service men and women the additional resources they need to keep themselves safe, to fight and succeed in their operations and to bring security to Afghanistan," he will add. |
| The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said the prime minister had a political fight on his hands to convince the public and some of his own MPs that the UK and its coalition partners could make a success of the mission in Afghanistan. | The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said the prime minister had a political fight on his hands to convince the public and some of his own MPs that the UK and its coalition partners could make a success of the mission in Afghanistan. |
| The Conservatives said the government was failing to put the case for the UK's continued involvement in Afghanistan, with shadow defence secretary Liam Fox saying there was a "great deal of disquiet" on Labour benches. | The Conservatives said the government was failing to put the case for the UK's continued involvement in Afghanistan, with shadow defence secretary Liam Fox saying there was a "great deal of disquiet" on Labour benches. |
| And Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said: "Eric Joyce confirms what I have been saying for a long time, our approach in Afghanistan is over-ambitious and under-resourced. | And Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said: "Eric Joyce confirms what I have been saying for a long time, our approach in Afghanistan is over-ambitious and under-resourced. |