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Browne considers increase in Army UK army 'not too small to cope'
(about 9 hours later)
The size of the Army may need to be increased to help it cope with long-running commitments overseas, Defence Secretary Des Browne has said. The Ministry of Defence has denied the army is too small to cope with its current overseas commitments.
The operations in Iraq and Afghanistan meant it was losing its ability to maintain "core capabilities" because of a lack of time for training, he said. The denial came after defence secretary Des Browne told a newspaper operations in Iraq and Afghanistan meant there was a lack of time for training.
Soldiers were being denied the chance to "build up their basic skills". The MoD said it did not expect its overseas commitments to continue at their current level indefinitely.
He told the Times: "People imagine the best form of training is to be in Iraq or Afghanistan, but it's not true." A spokesman stressed there were no immediate plans to expand the strength of the army.
He added: "Before [troops] deploy, they train for the specific operations, but there is a danger that the Army is not retaining the core of its full capabilities." Next year will see some troops being pulled out of Bosnia, Northern Ireland and, it is hoped, Iraq and Afghanistan, the MoD has said.
Mr Browne said he may need to review the "basic assumptions" underpinning the government's armed forces strategy. Operations
"Then we will have to consider increasing the size of the Army," he said. In an interview with The Times newspaper, Mr Browne said he was fully aware of concerns expressed by military commanders that insufficient time was being devoted to training.
But an MoD spokesman stressed that at no point in the interview did Mr Browne say the army was "too small to cope" or may need to increase in size, as had been reported earlier.
"It has long been our position, and the defence secretary reiterated it, that whilst we must ensure that the armed forces are able to succeed in the operations of today, we must also ensure they are able to meet tomorrow's challenges," a spokesman said.
The trained strength of the Army currently stands at 95,560 compared with 156,500 in 1990.The trained strength of the Army currently stands at 95,560 compared with 156,500 in 1990.
'Inappropriate' deployment'Inappropriate' deployment
The UK has about 7,000 troops in the south of Iraq, mostly around Basra, although that number is expected to fall dramatically after the expected handover of the area to full Iraqi control in the spring.The UK has about 7,000 troops in the south of Iraq, mostly around Basra, although that number is expected to fall dramatically after the expected handover of the area to full Iraqi control in the spring.
However, earlier this month Mr Browne told MPs that British forces would not "cut and run" from Iraq by following a "prescriptive timetable" for withdrawal.However, earlier this month Mr Browne told MPs that British forces would not "cut and run" from Iraq by following a "prescriptive timetable" for withdrawal.
In Friday's Times interview, Mr Browne did not put a figure on how many extra troops the Army might need, but he did indicate that he was preparing to reduce its commitment in Bosnia. In Friday's Times interview, Mr Browne indicated that he was preparing to reduce the army's commitment in Bosnia.
He said it was "inappropriate" that 14 years on from the original British deployment, the 600 soldiers still there were now simply involved in a policing role.He said it was "inappropriate" that 14 years on from the original British deployment, the 600 soldiers still there were now simply involved in a policing role.
Overstretch warning
In November, a National Audit Office report warned that UK armed forces were understaffed and pointed to the strain that fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan at the same time was having.In November, a National Audit Office report warned that UK armed forces were understaffed and pointed to the strain that fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan at the same time was having.
The Ministry of Defence agreed operating at this level meant "additional strains" on staff, but denied forces were overstretched. The Conservatives said they had been warning for months about the army becoming overstretched.
"As gaps between tours of duty continue to grow smaller the pressures on service families increases with the all too predictable effect on retention.
"If the prime minister commits our forces so much, Gordon Brown must be willing to fund them properly,¿ said shadow defence secretary Liam Fox.