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| UK majority 'oppose Afghan fight' | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Most people in the UK oppose British military operations in Afghanistan, a survey conducted for the BBC suggests. | Most people in the UK oppose British military operations in Afghanistan, a survey conducted for the BBC suggests. |
| Only 31% support the decision to deploy 5,000 troops to fight the Taleban, while 53% of the population are against the move, according to the ICM poll. | Only 31% support the decision to deploy 5,000 troops to fight the Taleban, while 53% of the population are against the move, according to the ICM poll. |
| Nato is extending its mission to cover the whole of the insurgency-hit nation. | Nato is extending its mission to cover the whole of the insurgency-hit nation. |
| Meanwhile Defence Secretary Des Browne has rebuffed reports that commanders wanted soldiers withdrawn from Iraq to bolster the UK presence in Afghanistan. | Meanwhile Defence Secretary Des Browne has rebuffed reports that commanders wanted soldiers withdrawn from Iraq to bolster the UK presence in Afghanistan. |
| "My view, and military commanders share this view, is that we have a vital job to do in Iraq. We have a responsibility to the Iraqi people. | "My view, and military commanders share this view, is that we have a vital job to do in Iraq. We have a responsibility to the Iraqi people. |
| "There is no division between us and military commanders about what we are doing at the moment," Mr Browne told BBC Radio 4's The World at One. | "There is no division between us and military commanders about what we are doing at the moment," Mr Browne told BBC Radio 4's The World at One. |
| Currently Britain has nearly 5,000 troops in Afghanistan - including 3,600 in the violent Helmand province - with a further 900 on the way. | Currently Britain has nearly 5,000 troops in Afghanistan - including 3,600 in the violent Helmand province - with a further 900 on the way. |
| A separate development will see the 12,000 US troops involved in Operation Enduring Freedom - a mission in Afghanistan which is separate to the Nato deployment - coming under Nato control. | A separate development will see the 12,000 US troops involved in Operation Enduring Freedom - a mission in Afghanistan which is separate to the Nato deployment - coming under Nato control. |
| UK TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN 53% oppose British military operations31% support the UK's presence63% think troops are helping to battle the Taleban71% believe soldiers are part of the fight against al-Qaeda46% claim the military is trying to stop the flow of drugs Source: ICM poll for the PM programme on BBC Radio 4 href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/5392988.stm" class="">Nato chief defends plans | |
| The decision will give the alliance a total of 32,000 soldiers. | The decision will give the alliance a total of 32,000 soldiers. |
| Asked why British troops were fighting in Afghanistan, 63% said it was to help the Afghan government fight the Taleban. | Asked why British troops were fighting in Afghanistan, 63% said it was to help the Afghan government fight the Taleban. |
| Some 71% believed it was part of the international fight against al-Qaeda, while 46% thought they were focusing on cutting the supply of drugs from the country. | Some 71% believed it was part of the international fight against al-Qaeda, while 46% thought they were focusing on cutting the supply of drugs from the country. |
| Mr Browne said he believed support for British military operations would increase "as we begin to see the results and improvements" of spreading the Nato force to all areas of Afghanistan. | Mr Browne said he believed support for British military operations would increase "as we begin to see the results and improvements" of spreading the Nato force to all areas of Afghanistan. |
| 'Spike of activity' | 'Spike of activity' |
| Conservative MP Mark Lancaster, a Territorial Army reservist who was called up to serve as a Royal Engineer for a two-month spell in Afghanistan, said the recent focus of the media had been on the "spike of activity" in Helmand. | Conservative MP Mark Lancaster, a Territorial Army reservist who was called up to serve as a Royal Engineer for a two-month spell in Afghanistan, said the recent focus of the media had been on the "spike of activity" in Helmand. |
| "There's been very little coverage in the media of the reconstruction and development side," he told the PM programme on BBC Radio 4. | "There's been very little coverage in the media of the reconstruction and development side," he told the PM programme on BBC Radio 4. |
| "Progress is being made, but it's slow." | "Progress is being made, but it's slow." |
| He also thought British forces were going to be in Afghanistan for "a very long time" and there should be "some political honesty on that". | He also thought British forces were going to be in Afghanistan for "a very long time" and there should be "some political honesty on that". |
| But Nato secretary general Jaap de Hoop Scheffer warned that the mission in Afghanistan cannot be allowed to fail. | But Nato secretary general Jaap de Hoop Scheffer warned that the mission in Afghanistan cannot be allowed to fail. |
| "Do please realise the consequences of Nato not being there, Nato failing and Afghanistan becoming the black hole, the hotbed for terrorism training and human rights abuses. | "Do please realise the consequences of Nato not being there, Nato failing and Afghanistan becoming the black hole, the hotbed for terrorism training and human rights abuses. |
| "The consequences of such a situation would be felt in London," he told The World at One, "because it [Afghanistan] would again be a nation which was exporting terrorism. | "The consequences of such a situation would be felt in London," he told The World at One, "because it [Afghanistan] would again be a nation which was exporting terrorism. |
| "We have to stay the course - we will stay the course and we will prevail." | "We have to stay the course - we will stay the course and we will prevail." |
| The poll, commissioned by PM, saw 1,011 adults questioned over the past two days. | The poll, commissioned by PM, saw 1,011 adults questioned over the past two days. |