Britain may be left to hold the fort in Afghanistan

[Eugene]

World briefing
Britain may be left to hold the fort in Afghanistan

Simon Tisdall
Wednesday July 27, 2005
The Guardian

Parliamentary elections this September in Afghanistan are intended
to provide the next showcase moment for the US-led "global war on
terror". But according to new independent assessments, security
surrounding the polls is threatened by a new wave of insurgent
attacks and the stability of the country remains on a knife-edge.

British defence officials are concerned the US could prematurely
declare "mission accomplished" once the national assembly and
provincial council votes are over.

The worry is that Pentagon pressure to cut US troop levels could
leave Britain holding the baby when it assumes command of Nato's
security assistance force next spring.

A report this week by the Centre for Strategic and International
Studies in Washington questioned whether current US military and
financial commitments would endure beyond the polls.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/afghanistan/story/0,1284,1536767,00.html

Gee, could our allies be getting mexed missages?

[madeline_con]

1. This was announced some time ago.

We need to keep up.

[ikri]

2. If this goes as expected

It will lead to the UK pulling our forces out of Iraq and redeploying them to Afghanistan.

Who knows, maybe we'll actually find Bin Forgotten.