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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| UK-US talks on Afghan war support | UK-US talks on Afghan war support |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The US secretary of state is to meet the prime minister in London to bolster support for the Afghanistan war. | The US secretary of state is to meet the prime minister in London to bolster support for the Afghanistan war. |
| Condoleezza Rice will meet Gordon Brown and Foreign Secretary David Miliband to discuss Nato tensions over countries' provision of fighting troops. | Condoleezza Rice will meet Gordon Brown and Foreign Secretary David Miliband to discuss Nato tensions over countries' provision of fighting troops. |
| They will also look for ways to repair relations with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who has rejected much of the international strategy for his country. | They will also look for ways to repair relations with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who has rejected much of the international strategy for his country. |
| The talks are likely to consider how to maintain public support for the war. | The talks are likely to consider how to maintain public support for the war. |
| 'Disarray' | 'Disarray' |
| According to BBC diplomatic correspondent James Robbins, the talks are taking place at a critical moment. | According to BBC diplomatic correspondent James Robbins, the talks are taking place at a critical moment. |
| Map of troop deployments in Afghanistan | Map of troop deployments in Afghanistan |
| The US and UK "have to galvanise international action", he said. | The US and UK "have to galvanise international action", he said. |
| "Above all, London and Washington fear a draining away of public consent at home for a war which is meant to deny space for those promoting global terrorism. | "Above all, London and Washington fear a draining away of public consent at home for a war which is meant to deny space for those promoting global terrorism. |
| "Public consent could be hard to maintain unless that war is seen to be far more decisive." | "Public consent could be hard to maintain unless that war is seen to be far more decisive." |
| President Karzai and his fragile Afghan government disagree sharply with Washington and London over the way forward BBC diplomatic correspondent James Robbins Our correspondent also said that Nato was "in disarray as countries taking the heaviest casualties criticise other member states unwilling to send troops or risk them in combat". | President Karzai and his fragile Afghan government disagree sharply with Washington and London over the way forward BBC diplomatic correspondent James Robbins Our correspondent also said that Nato was "in disarray as countries taking the heaviest casualties criticise other member states unwilling to send troops or risk them in combat". |
| Gordon Brown will also have talks soon with the American senator and presidential challenger, John McCain. The meeting is scheduled for this Friday, when Senator McCain is passing through London. He is the current front-runner to be the Republican candidate in November's presidential election. | |
| France and Germany are among the nations which have been criticised for failing to send forces to parts of Afghanistan which have seen the most intense fighting. | France and Germany are among the nations which have been criticised for failing to send forces to parts of Afghanistan which have seen the most intense fighting. |
| International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander at the weekend called for "appropriate burden sharing" of troops from the 38 Nato countries represented in Afghanistan. | International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander at the weekend called for "appropriate burden sharing" of troops from the 38 Nato countries represented in Afghanistan. |
| Our correspondent said: "To make matters worse, President Karzai and his fragile Afghan government disagree sharply with Washington and London over the way forward and who should help drive [the war]." | Our correspondent said: "To make matters worse, President Karzai and his fragile Afghan government disagree sharply with Washington and London over the way forward and who should help drive [the war]." |
| He added that the UK and US agreed on the vital need to rescue Afghanistan from collapse, to prevent violent extremists regaining ground, and to destroy the basis of Europe's heroin trade. | He added that the UK and US agreed on the vital need to rescue Afghanistan from collapse, to prevent violent extremists regaining ground, and to destroy the basis of Europe's heroin trade. |
| Michael Williams, head of the transatlantic security programme at the Royal United Services Institute, said there was no willingness to change among most of the allies. | Michael Williams, head of the transatlantic security programme at the Royal United Services Institute, said there was no willingness to change among most of the allies. |
| "It is a poorly defined mission in Afghanistan, it is difficult to execute with a common strategy. That is the root of the problem. | "It is a poorly defined mission in Afghanistan, it is difficult to execute with a common strategy. That is the root of the problem. |
| "What this meeting is going to do is look at this and how to convince the allies to participate more. But it is too far down the line, I don't think anyone is going to change how they are engaged." | "What this meeting is going to do is look at this and how to convince the allies to participate more. But it is too far down the line, I don't think anyone is going to change how they are engaged." |
| LEAD NATIONS IN REGIONAL COMMAND CENTRES Countries contributing more than 1,000 troops as of December 2007 Canada 1,730France 1,292Germany 3,155Italy 2,358Netherlands 1,512 Poland 1,141Turkey 1,219UK 7,753US 15,038 Source: ISAF | LEAD NATIONS IN REGIONAL COMMAND CENTRES Countries contributing more than 1,000 troops as of December 2007 Canada 1,730France 1,292Germany 3,155Italy 2,358Netherlands 1,512 Poland 1,141Turkey 1,219UK 7,753US 15,038 Source: ISAF |
| Return to top | Return to top |
| British deployments | |
| The Defence Secretary, Des Browne, has announced that the lead brigade in Afghanistan will change in April to 16 Air Assault Brigade, who will provide the bulk of the units serving in Afghanistan. | |
| Overall force levels will be broadly unchanged Des Browne, Defence Secretary | |
| They will take over from 52 Infantry Brigade, as part of the regular a six-monthly rotation of British forces. | |
| The new deployments will also include the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the Parachute Regiment, The Royal Highland Fusiliers and the 1st battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment. | |
| "The bulk of these units represent direct replacements for previously announced deployments to Afghanistan and overall force levels will be broadly unchanged", Des Browne said in a written statement. | |
| The new deployments are due to last until October. |