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Afghan strategy 'right' - Brown Afghan aims 'realistic' - Brown
(about 2 hours later)
Gordon Brown is giving a speech defending Britain's mission in Afghanistan, a day after a ministerial aide quit over government strategy. Gordon Brown has said Britain and its allies' aims in Afghanistan were "realistic and achievable" in a speech defending their strategy.
Labour MP Eric Joyce, a parliamentary aide to the defence secretary, resigned saying a time limit should be set on troop deployment. The PM said he knew he was asking "a great deal" of British troops.
The prime minister said he would not walk away, adding: "A safer Afghanistan means a safer Britain." But he said he believed they were doing the "right thing" by Britain and for the people of Afghanistan.
He also said British military spending in Afghanistan was increasing. It comes after ministerial aide Eric Joyce quit - saying UK casualties could no longer be justified by saying the war prevented terrorism at home.
In a long and detailed assessment of Britain's strategy at the Institute of Strategic Studies, followed by a Q&A, Mr Brown attempted to set out what he believes are the measures of success for Britain in Afghanistan.
Explosive devices
He said Taliban tactics had changed from a head on military conflict to effectively, guerrilla warfare using explosive devices - 1,000 of which had been dismantled this summer.
"The record of success of our forces in dismantling these explosive devices has been very high indeed," he said.
It remains my judgement that a safer Britain requires a safer Afghanistan Gordon Brown Aide quits over Afghan strategy Resignation reaction Analysis: New emphasis on exit
Other measures of success included increasing Afghan forces and strong leadership in Afghan provinces as well as more economic progress, to give people a stake in the country, other than in heroin production.
Britain was committed to training up more Afghan forces, moving from a mentoring to partnering them, he said.
He was careful not to commit to a timetable for the withdrawal of British troops, but said: "The more the Afghans can take responsibility in the short term the less our coalition forces will be needed in the long term."
"These are objectives that are clear and justified and also realistic and achievable. It remains my judgement that a safer Britain requires a safer Afghanistan."
Downing Street has been keen to stress that the speech was not a response to Eric Joyce's resignation and had been planned for some time.Downing Street has been keen to stress that the speech was not a response to Eric Joyce's resignation and had been planned for some time.
'Same threat''Same threat'
But Mr Brown attempted to address some of the criticisms made by Mr Joyce and others, insisting that British troops are part of an international effort and that their presence in Afghanistan reduced the threat of terrorism on Britain's streets. But Mr Brown said he wanted to tackle "head on" some of the criticisms of the government's strategy insisting that British troops are part of an international effort and that their presence in Afghanistan reduced the threat of terrorism on Britain's streets.
In his speech, 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." UK AND US OPINION ON WAR In UK, 58% believe the war is not winnable, 31% disagree. ComRes/Independent. July 09In US, 42% think America is winning the war, 36% think it is losing. ABC News/Washington Post. Aug 0954 British troops killed in 2009 so far, compared with 47 in 2008172 US troops killed in 2009 so far, compared with 155 in 2008
ERIC JOYCE FACTFILE He stressed that the mission involved over 40 countries all of whom faced the same threat.
Eric Joyce spent 21 years in the Army, including time as a Territorial Army soldier in the Black Watch and as a major in the Royal Army Education Corps. He left in 1999. And he said there was "nothing more heartbreaking" than meeting the families of those killed, or those who had been seriously injured, in action.
A year later, he was elected MP for Falkirk West in a by-election. But he added: "When I meet young people who have suffered at the hands of the Taliban and who are in hospital and when I meet the families of those people who have been bereaved, I have to keep asking myself: 'Are we taking the right decisions for them and for the conduct of the action in 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. "Are we doing what is right both by our forces and by the population of this country? And every time I ask myself these questions, my answer is yes , we are taking the right action, the action that is necessary, to safeguard both our country and promote security in the world."
Last month he criticised the government's decision to appeal against compensation awards for two wounded soldiers, calling the move "bonkers". href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8237041.stm">Aide quits over Afghan strategy class="" href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8237092.stm">Resignation letter: Full text class="" href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8237122.stm">Reaction to resignation The resignation of a junior ministerial aide would matter little if it weren't for the fact that Eric Joyce is a former army officer Nick RobinsonBBC political editor href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobinson/2009/09/pm_prepares_for_the_afghanistan_argument.html">Read Nick's blog in full
He argued that the mission's purpose was to protect British people from the threat of terrorism and involved over 40 countries all of whom faced the same threat.
He said people asked what he would consider success in Afghanistan, adding: "We will have succeeded when our troops are coming home because the Afghans are doing the job themselves".
He said Britain must move from mentoring to partnering the Afghan Army and said Britain backed increasing training of Afghans "to bring security to the population".
On Thursday the Ministry of Defence announced the deaths of two more soldiers in Afghanistan, taking total number of service personnel killed to 212, since operations began in 2001.On Thursday the Ministry of Defence announced the deaths of two more soldiers in Afghanistan, taking total number of service personnel killed to 212, since operations began in 2001.
In his resignation letter Mr Joyce 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.In his resignation letter Mr Joyce 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."
But security and counter-terrorism minister, Lord West, told the BBC that, having seen the letter: "I do not really recognise the picture that he paints in that and it seems rather confused. 'Disquiet'
Lord West 'surprised' at resignation
"I have no doubt whatsoever just seeing the things that go across my desk, that there is a very clear terror threat that emanates particularly from the FATA [Federally Administered Tribal Areas] and across the border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan."
There are more than 9,000 UK troops in Afghanistan and opposition parties have been questioning whether they are sufficiently equipped for the operation.There are more than 9,000 UK troops in Afghanistan and opposition parties have been questioning whether they are sufficiently equipped for the operation.
Mr Brown said in his speech that military spending is rising in excess of the increase in troop numbers and troops' pay had increased over that of other public servants, because of the "debt" the country owed them.Mr Brown said in his speech that military spending is rising in excess of the increase in troop numbers and troops' pay had increased over that of other public servants, because of the "debt" the country owed them.
The resignation of a junior ministerial aide would matter little if it weren't for the fact that Eric Joyce is a former army officer Nick RobinsonBBC political editor Read Nick's blog in full
He said it was about £180,000 per year to support each soldier fighting in 2006 but was now over twice that, £390,000 for each soldier.He said it was about £180,000 per year to support each soldier fighting in 2006 but was now over twice that, £390,000 for each soldier.
And addressing complaints that sufficient equipment - including helicopters - was not being sent to Afghanistan, he said the government was committed to giving its commanders more options.And addressing complaints that sufficient equipment - including helicopters - was not being sent to Afghanistan, he said the government was committed to giving its commanders more options.
But he added, the counter insurgency must be "won on the ground and not in the air".But he added, the counter insurgency must be "won on the ground and not in the air".
The Conservatives said the government was failing to put the case for the UK's continued involvement in Afghanistan. Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox said 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. Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox said there was a "great deal of disquiet" on Labour benches.
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."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."