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| PM meets troops on Afghan visit | PM meets troops on Afghan visit |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Gordon Brown has been visiting British troops in Afghanistan to show his support in the run-up to Christmas. | Gordon Brown has been visiting British troops in Afghanistan to show his support in the run-up to Christmas. |
| The prime minister inspected new equipment and held talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kandahar. | The prime minister inspected new equipment and held talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kandahar. |
| He said the next few months would be "critical" and urged the Afghan government to take a bigger role in confronting the Taliban. | He said the next few months would be "critical" and urged the Afghan government to take a bigger role in confronting the Taliban. |
| Unusually, Mr Brown spent the night in the country, rather than flying in and out in one day. | Unusually, Mr Brown spent the night in the country, rather than flying in and out in one day. |
| He slept in "basic quarters" at the Kandahar air base, the headquarters of Nato troops in the south of the country. | He slept in "basic quarters" at the Kandahar air base, the headquarters of Nato troops in the south of the country. |
| There are currently about one or two attacks a week by Taliban in the Kandahar area. | There are currently about one or two attacks a week by Taliban in the Kandahar area. |
| The prime minister said: "I wanted to be here with the troops to thank them for what they are doing. | The prime minister said: "I wanted to be here with the troops to thank them for what they are doing. |
| Gordon Brown: "I am here to thank our troops" | Gordon Brown: "I am here to thank our troops" |
| "I wanted to see what it was like working with them." | "I wanted to see what it was like working with them." |
| This year alone, 100 British service personnel have been killed in Afghanistan. | This year alone, 100 British service personnel have been killed in Afghanistan. |
| In a joint press conference with Mr Karzai, the prime minister acknowledged that casualty numbers had been high and paid tribute to their "bravery, professionalism and dedication". | In a joint press conference with Mr Karzai, the prime minister acknowledged that casualty numbers had been high and paid tribute to their "bravery, professionalism and dedication". |
| He said: "I feel for all of those families who have lost loved ones, particularly as we move towards Christmas. | He said: "I feel for all of those families who have lost loved ones, particularly as we move towards Christmas. |
| "I know this has been a difficult year." | "I know this has been a difficult year." |
| Mr Brown said he felt more confident about the conflict following decisions by the US and Britain to send in more troops. | Mr Brown said he felt more confident about the conflict following decisions by the US and Britain to send in more troops. |
| He insisted Afghanistan's border regions were "the epicentre of global terrorism" and operations there were directly related to security on British streets. | He insisted Afghanistan's border regions were "the epicentre of global terrorism" and operations there were directly related to security on British streets. |
| Both leaders denied suggestions of a rift between them. | Both leaders denied suggestions of a rift between them. |
| AT THE SCENE James Landale, BBC News, Afghanistan It is one thing to visit. It is another to stay over. | AT THE SCENE James Landale, BBC News, Afghanistan It is one thing to visit. It is another to stay over. |
| But this is exactly what Gordon Brown has done in Afghanistan - the first prime minister since the Second World War to spend a night in a combat zone. | But this is exactly what Gordon Brown has done in Afghanistan - the first prime minister since the Second World War to spend a night in a combat zone. |
| He bunked down in a basic hut with limited heating and a shared latrine at Kandahar air base, which comes under rocket fire at least once a week. | He bunked down in a basic hut with limited heating and a shared latrine at Kandahar air base, which comes under rocket fire at least once a week. |
| "No frills" was how one officer described it. This was in part down to logistics. It allowed Mr Brown to fit in more meetings. | "No frills" was how one officer described it. This was in part down to logistics. It allowed Mr Brown to fit in more meetings. |
| Plus it also, he said, allowed him the chance to get a small glimpse of how service personnel live out here in the dusty, concrete-clad, container-strewn military bases. href="/2/hi/uk_news/8410922.stm">James Landale with the PM | |
| Mr Brown said his Afghan counterpart had offered to send 10,000 extra Afghan troops to be trained in Helmand, where most of the British forces were based. | Mr Brown said his Afghan counterpart had offered to send 10,000 extra Afghan troops to be trained in Helmand, where most of the British forces were based. |
| There would also be 10,000 more Afghan police in Helmand and Kandahar, he said. | There would also be 10,000 more Afghan police in Helmand and Kandahar, he said. |
| Asked about corruption in the Kabul administration, Mr Brown said Mr Karzai would present plans, including improvements to governance, to a conference in London next month. | Asked about corruption in the Kabul administration, Mr Brown said Mr Karzai would present plans, including improvements to governance, to a conference in London next month. |
| Mr Karzai said he was "very, very sorry" when he saw British troops killed or wounded in Afghanistan. | Mr Karzai said he was "very, very sorry" when he saw British troops killed or wounded in Afghanistan. |
| He addressed the parents of British soldiers killed in Afghanistan, saying: "I am terribly sorry for them losing their sons and daughters, as we are sorry for us losing our sons and daughters in Afghanistan. | He addressed the parents of British soldiers killed in Afghanistan, saying: "I am terribly sorry for them losing their sons and daughters, as we are sorry for us losing our sons and daughters in Afghanistan. |
| "But we have a job to do together and we must endure, as hard as it may be." | "But we have a job to do together and we must endure, as hard as it may be." |
| Limited resources | Limited resources |
| During his visit, he revealed that British forces had destroyed almost 1,500 roadside bombs in the last six months. | During his visit, he revealed that British forces had destroyed almost 1,500 roadside bombs in the last six months. |
| This, said Brigadier Dickie Davis, the Isaf chief of staff for southern regional command, might provoke a further backlash from the Taliban. | This, said Brigadier Dickie Davis, the Isaf chief of staff for southern regional command, might provoke a further backlash from the Taliban. |
| Asked whether Afghan forces would be in a position to take over the control of security in the country, Brig Davis was non-committal. | Asked whether Afghan forces would be in a position to take over the control of security in the country, Brig Davis was non-committal. |
| The prime minister slept in these "basic quarters" at Kandahar air base | The prime minister slept in these "basic quarters" at Kandahar air base |
| But he stressed that there had been "remarkable progress" within the Afghan National Army. | But he stressed that there had been "remarkable progress" within the Afghan National Army. |
| Meanwhile Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth has said the Ministry of Defence faces "tough decisions" over funding. | Meanwhile Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth has said the Ministry of Defence faces "tough decisions" over funding. |
| He told BBC 1's Politics Show that other areas of defence would face cuts as limited resources were shifted to support the operation in Afghanistan. | He told BBC 1's Politics Show that other areas of defence would face cuts as limited resources were shifted to support the operation in Afghanistan. |
| "I am being asked to live within my budget and there are tough decisions that will have to be taken in that regard," Mr Ainsworth said. | "I am being asked to live within my budget and there are tough decisions that will have to be taken in that regard," Mr Ainsworth said. |
| It is reported that Mr Ainsworth will this week announce the closure of at least one RAF base and a scaling back of the UK sovereign base area in Cyprus, as well as cuts to the MoD Police and back office functions. | It is reported that Mr Ainsworth will this week announce the closure of at least one RAF base and a scaling back of the UK sovereign base area in Cyprus, as well as cuts to the MoD Police and back office functions. |