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Army head calls for more troops Army head calls for more troops
(30 minutes later)
More troops are needed in the Afghan province of Helmand to provide security, the head of the British Army has told the BBC. More troops are needed in the Afghan province of Helmand to provide security, the outgoing head of the British Army has told the BBC.
General Sir Richard Dannatt said "more boots" were needed but it did not matter whether they were British, American or Afghan troops.General Sir Richard Dannatt said "more boots" were needed but it did not matter whether they were British, American or Afghan troops.
His comments come after 15 UK soldiers were killed this month and following a row over resources for British troops.His comments come after 15 UK soldiers were killed this month and following a row over resources for British troops.
Gen Dannatt was on his last visit to Afghanistan before retiring this month. Number 10 said it had called on other Nato nations to provide more soldiers.
Asked why he was being flown in an American helicopter, not a British one, he said it was because: "I haven't got a British helicopter." On his last trip to Afghanistan before retiring this month, Gen Dannatt was asked why he flown in an American helicopter, not a British one.
He said it was because: "I haven't got a British helicopter."
"There is a pool and we share the assets, but we have got to put as much into the pool as we take out.""There is a pool and we share the assets, but we have got to put as much into the pool as we take out."
He spoke the day after the bodies of eight British servicemen killed in Afghanistan - three of them teenagers - were repatriated to Britain.He spoke the day after the bodies of eight British servicemen killed in Afghanistan - three of them teenagers - were repatriated to Britain.
'Bottom line''Bottom line'
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I have said before, we can have effect where we have boots on the ground.He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I have said before, we can have effect where we have boots on the ground.
"I don't mind whether the feet in those boots are British, American or Afghan, but we need more to have the persistent effect to give the people (of Helmand) confidence in us."I don't mind whether the feet in those boots are British, American or Afghan, but we need more to have the persistent effect to give the people (of Helmand) confidence in us.
"That is the top line and the bottom line.""That is the top line and the bottom line."
Asked whether Britain's 9,100-strong force in Afghanistan has the equipment it needs, he said: "We are building our resources up in terms of the equipment we have got. He was asked whether Britain's 9,100-strong force in Afghanistan has the equipment it needs.
"We are building our resources up. In terms of equipment, we have got a plan to increase the amount of campaign equipment we've got.
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"It has probably not moved as fast as I would have liked it to have moved, but we are increasing the numbers."It has probably not moved as fast as I would have liked it to have moved, but we are increasing the numbers.
"I would like to get more energy behind it if we possibly can.""I would like to get more energy behind it if we possibly can."
The government has been criticised for not providing soldiers with the equipment they need.The government has been criticised for not providing soldiers with the equipment they need.
'Ticking time bomb'
Conservative leader David Cameron has already attacked the "scandal" of helicopter shortages and accused the government of the "dereliction of duty" in under-equipping the armed forces.Conservative leader David Cameron has already attacked the "scandal" of helicopter shortages and accused the government of the "dereliction of duty" in under-equipping the armed forces.
And Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg criticised British strategy in Afghanistan as "over-ambitious in aim and under-resourced in practice".And Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg criticised British strategy in Afghanistan as "over-ambitious in aim and under-resourced in practice".
But Prime Minister Gordon Brown has insisted Britain has the resources "to do the job", and said UK forces were the best equipped they had been in 40 years. 'Ticking time bomb'
The Conservatives have also warned of a "ticking time bomb" of mental illness facing veterans of the war in Afghanistan.The Conservatives have also warned of a "ticking time bomb" of mental illness facing veterans of the war in Afghanistan.
The party said the intense fighting, combined with inadequate mental health support, would leave record numbers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.The party said the intense fighting, combined with inadequate mental health support, would leave record numbers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
But Prime Minister Gordon Brown has insisted UK forces were the best equipped they had been in 40 years.
Britain has also called on other Nato countries to provide more troops in Afghanistan.
The prime minister's spokesman said: "We do need to have more of an effort from other Nato members.
"The PM's view is we need to see more burden-sharing."
The spokesman added the British government had kept the level of British troops under review, with the number having increased from 7,800 last year, to more than 9,000 now.