This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/7573942.stm
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Brown visits UK troops in Helmand | Brown visits UK troops in Helmand |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Gordon Brown is in Afghanistan on a surprise visit to British troops, en route to the Olympics in Beijing. | Gordon Brown is in Afghanistan on a surprise visit to British troops, en route to the Olympics in Beijing. |
| The PM told troops at Camp Bastion, the main British base in Helmand, that they were "the heroes of our country". | The PM told troops at Camp Bastion, the main British base in Helmand, that they were "the heroes of our country". |
| He told members of 16 Air Assault Brigade they were in the "front line in the fight against the Taleban". | He told members of 16 Air Assault Brigade they were in the "front line in the fight against the Taleban". |
| He also paid tribute to Cpl Barry Dempsey, the latest British soldier to die, before heading to Kabul for talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. | He also paid tribute to Cpl Barry Dempsey, the latest British soldier to die, before heading to Kabul for talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. |
| Mr Brown spent 90 minutes at Camp Bastion and visited a field hospital where he spoke to six injured soldiers. | Mr Brown spent 90 minutes at Camp Bastion and visited a field hospital where he spoke to six injured soldiers. |
| Courage praised | Courage praised |
| His visit comes as three Nato troops have died in Ghazni province. This week 10 French soldiers died in a Taleban attack. | His visit comes as three Nato troops have died in Ghazni province. This week 10 French soldiers died in a Taleban attack. |
| In a joint press conference with President Karzai later, Mr Brown said the attacks had only made them "even more resolute ... to defeat the forces of terrorism". | |
| You are truly the heroes of our country Gordon Brown to British troops Three die in fresh Afghan attack | You are truly the heroes of our country Gordon Brown to British troops Three die in fresh Afghan attack |
| "We understand that in Afghanistan, the front line against the Taleban, what happens in Afghanistan affects the rest of the world," he said. | |
| "We will not relax from our efforts to support the reconstruction of Afghanistan." | |
| Mr Brown said there was still "a long way to go" but progress had been made in Afghanistan. | |
| 'Hearts and minds' | |
| He said work would continue to ensure Afghan police were "corruption free" and to improve local and national government administration - by developing a civil service in Afghanistan and more money would be put into improving education. | |
| And £17m would go towards funding a radio station to counter the Taleban's message and win "hearts and minds", Mr Brown said. | |
| Earlier, speaking to troops from 16 Air Assault Brigade, Mr Brown said: "You know that by what you are doing here you prevent terrorism coming to the streets of Britain." | |
| He said their work was part of creating a democratic and "terrorist-free" Afghanistan. | He said their work was part of creating a democratic and "terrorist-free" Afghanistan. |
| Mr Brown also likened the achievements of the British forces to the UK's Olympic medallists in Beijing. | Mr Brown also likened the achievements of the British forces to the UK's Olympic medallists in Beijing. |
| "This week we are celebrating the Olympics where we have had great success," he said. | "This week we are celebrating the Olympics where we have had great success," he said. |
| "But this week also I believe that our Olympic athletes and everybody else in our country will remember that you have showed exactly the same courage, professionalism and dedication. | "But this week also I believe that our Olympic athletes and everybody else in our country will remember that you have showed exactly the same courage, professionalism and dedication. |
| "You make our country proud every day of the week and every week of the year. You are truly the heroes of our country. I wish to say how proud I am of you today." | "You make our country proud every day of the week and every week of the year. You are truly the heroes of our country. I wish to say how proud I am of you today." |
| Earlier Mr Brown told journalists a summer offensive by the Taleban had been expected after a relatively quiet spring and added: "We've got to be prepared for anything that may happen". | Earlier Mr Brown told journalists a summer offensive by the Taleban had been expected after a relatively quiet spring and added: "We've got to be prepared for anything that may happen". |
| He said British forces were fighting a difficult campaign but that coalition forces could cope with a change in tactics, such as more head-on confrontations and guerrilla warfare, suicide bombs and roadside explosions. | He said British forces were fighting a difficult campaign but that coalition forces could cope with a change in tactics, such as more head-on confrontations and guerrilla warfare, suicide bombs and roadside explosions. |
| Since 2001, 116 UK troops have died in Afghanistan, the latest, Cpl Dempsey was killed by a roadside bomb in Helmand on Monday. | Since 2001, 116 UK troops have died in Afghanistan, the latest, Cpl Dempsey was killed by a roadside bomb in Helmand on Monday. |