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| PM visits soldiers in Afghanistan | PM visits soldiers in Afghanistan |
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| The prime minister has visited British troops in Afghanistan as a row grows over his evidence to the Iraq inquiry. | The prime minister has visited British troops in Afghanistan as a row grows over his evidence to the Iraq inquiry. |
| Gordon Brown's aides told the BBC he rejected criticism from two former Army chiefs that as chancellor he denied pleas to send more equipment to Iraq. | Gordon Brown's aides told the BBC he rejected criticism from two former Army chiefs that as chancellor he denied pleas to send more equipment to Iraq. |
| No 10 also fiercely denied Conservative claims Mr Brown was using the visit to divert attention away from the row. | No 10 also fiercely denied Conservative claims Mr Brown was using the visit to divert attention away from the row. |
| During his visit the PM promised 2,000 more metal detectors and announced plans for a new light patrol vehicle. | During his visit the PM promised 2,000 more metal detectors and announced plans for a new light patrol vehicle. |
| Senior officers also told the prime minister the military phase of their current campaign in Afghanistan had been largely successful. | Senior officers also told the prime minister the military phase of their current campaign in Afghanistan had been largely successful. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme |
| 'Disingenuous' | 'Disingenuous' |
| The visit took place as two former defence chiefs took issue with Mr Brown's evidence to the Iraq inquiry on Friday, in which he said military leaders overseeing the Iraq war were given everything they asked for. | The visit took place as two former defence chiefs took issue with Mr Brown's evidence to the Iraq inquiry on Friday, in which he said military leaders overseeing the Iraq war were given everything they asked for. |
| Lord Guthrie, ex-chief of the defence staff, wrote in the Daily Telegraph that armed forces had been denied a request for more helicopters. | Lord Guthrie, ex-chief of the defence staff, wrote in the Daily Telegraph that armed forces had been denied a request for more helicopters. |
| And his successor, Lord Boyce, told the Times Mr Brown had been "disingenuous" about funding policy. | |
| Another former defence chief - Gen Sir Richard Dannatt - told the BBC on Saturday that while the prime minister may have been "narrowly and precisely correct" on his evidence on military spending, he had not addressed the issue of "underlying underfunding" going back to 1997. | Another former defence chief - Gen Sir Richard Dannatt - told the BBC on Saturday that while the prime minister may have been "narrowly and precisely correct" on his evidence on military spending, he had not addressed the issue of "underlying underfunding" going back to 1997. |
| On Friday Mr Brown told the Iraq Inquiry UK forces had been given all the equipment they had asked for. | On Friday Mr Brown told the Iraq Inquiry UK forces had been given all the equipment they had asked for. |
| He told the panel: "At any point, commanders were able to ask for equipment that they needed and I know of no occasion when they were turned down." | He told the panel: "At any point, commanders were able to ask for equipment that they needed and I know of no occasion when they were turned down." |
| But Lord Guthrie, who led the armed forces from 1997 to 2001, wrote in the Telegraph the Ministry of Defence (MoD) had "received the bare minimum from the chancellor, who wanted to give the military as little as he could get away with". | But Lord Guthrie, who led the armed forces from 1997 to 2001, wrote in the Telegraph the Ministry of Defence (MoD) had "received the bare minimum from the chancellor, who wanted to give the military as little as he could get away with". |
| Nice try prime minister to say that we had everything we wanted Gen Sir Richard Dannatt Iraq inquiry: Day-by-day timeline Iraq war was 'right', says Brown | Nice try prime minister to say that we had everything we wanted Gen Sir Richard Dannatt Iraq inquiry: Day-by-day timeline Iraq war was 'right', says Brown |
| He said: "The whole defence budget was extremely difficult to run in his time. | He said: "The whole defence budget was extremely difficult to run in his time. |
| "For Gordon Brown to say he has given the military all they asked for is not true. | "For Gordon Brown to say he has given the military all they asked for is not true. |
| "They asked for more helicopters but they were told they could not have any more. | "They asked for more helicopters but they were told they could not have any more. |
| "He cannot get away with saying 'I gave them everything they asked for'. That is simply disingenuous." | "He cannot get away with saying 'I gave them everything they asked for'. That is simply disingenuous." |
| Lord Boyce, who was chief of the Defence Staff up to the beginning of the invasion of Iraq in 2003, echoed his former service colleague's attack:. | Lord Boyce, who was chief of the Defence Staff up to the beginning of the invasion of Iraq in 2003, echoed his former service colleague's attack:. |
| He said: "[Gordon Brown] is dissembling, he's being disingenuous. It's just not the case that the Ministry of Defence was given everything it needed". | He said: "[Gordon Brown] is dissembling, he's being disingenuous. It's just not the case that the Ministry of Defence was given everything it needed". |
| "There may have been a 1.5 per cent increase in the defence budget but the MoD was starved of funds." | "There may have been a 1.5 per cent increase in the defence budget but the MoD was starved of funds." |
| Gen Dannatt, who retired as Chief of General Staff last year and now advises the Conservatives on defence issues, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Nice try, prime minister, to say that we had everything we wanted. | Gen Dannatt, who retired as Chief of General Staff last year and now advises the Conservatives on defence issues, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Nice try, prime minister, to say that we had everything we wanted. |
| "But that only applies to the very narrow point of the additional costs of operations." | "But that only applies to the very narrow point of the additional costs of operations." |
| 'Manageable' costs | 'Manageable' costs |
| Gen Dannatt said Mr Brown had been correct when it came to Treasury funds for the additional costs of equipment - the so-called Urgent Operational Requirements (UOR). | Gen Dannatt said Mr Brown had been correct when it came to Treasury funds for the additional costs of equipment - the so-called Urgent Operational Requirements (UOR). |
| But he said this was a "narrow" point, and there had been underlying underfunding going back to 1997-98. | But he said this was a "narrow" point, and there had been underlying underfunding going back to 1997-98. |
| "Defence inflation runs higher than normal inflation so when additional money has gone to defence over the years, the spending power of that money has reduced. | "Defence inflation runs higher than normal inflation so when additional money has gone to defence over the years, the spending power of that money has reduced. |
| "In 2003, the Treasury reopened an agreement on funding it had with the Ministry of Defence and effectively cut £1bn out of our budget year on year." | "In 2003, the Treasury reopened an agreement on funding it had with the Ministry of Defence and effectively cut £1bn out of our budget year on year." |
| At any point, commanders were able to ask for equipment that they needed Prime Minister Gordon Brown Full story: Brown grilled Robinson: Brown vs Blair Brown: The unasked questions | At any point, commanders were able to ask for equipment that they needed Prime Minister Gordon Brown Full story: Brown grilled Robinson: Brown vs Blair Brown: The unasked questions |
| During his flying visit to southern Afghanistan, Mr Brown told troops:"We will do everything we can to support you with the equipment necessary and the resources you need." | During his flying visit to southern Afghanistan, Mr Brown told troops:"We will do everything we can to support you with the equipment necessary and the resources you need." |
| He pledged new military vehicles to replace the controversial Snatch Land Rovers, which are vulnerable to attacks using Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). | He pledged new military vehicles to replace the controversial Snatch Land Rovers, which are vulnerable to attacks using Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). |
| Mr Brown said early gains in Operation Moshtarak - the campaign to push the Taliban out of central Helmand - offered a "beacon of hope" to the Afghan people. | Mr Brown said early gains in Operation Moshtarak - the campaign to push the Taliban out of central Helmand - offered a "beacon of hope" to the Afghan people. |
| He thanked The First Battalion The Royal Welsh for capturing the town of Shawal as part of the operation. | He thanked The First Battalion The Royal Welsh for capturing the town of Shawal as part of the operation. |
| And he insisted he had planned the trip to Helmand province for some time - rejecting Tory criticisms that the visit might deflect attention away from other matters. | And he insisted he had planned the trip to Helmand province for some time - rejecting Tory criticisms that the visit might deflect attention away from other matters. |