Britain to pull 400 troops out of Afghanistan this year

[The Northerner]

David Cameron details withdrawal which will form first stage of plan to remove all UK troops by the end of 2014

David Cameron has announced that 400 British troops will withdraw from Afghanistan this year in the first stage of his plan to remove all UK combat troops by the end of 2014.

The move, given greater urgency by the killing of Osama bin Laden, had been initially resisted by defence chiefs. Cameron made the announcement to MPs on Tuesday in advance of President Obama's state visit to the UK next week.

Speaking to the liaison committee of MPs, Cameron also pledged to bring in a legally binding target for spending on overseas aid, despite objections by the defence secretary, Liam Fox.

He said legislation would be tabled in the current parliament to increase aid to 0.7% of gross national income by 2013, adding that it was in the UK's interest to honour the commitment made in the coalition agreement with the Liberal Democrats. "I profoundly think it is the right thing to do because we have duty to the poorest in our world even at times of hardship at home," he said.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/17/britain-pull-troops-afghanistan-david-cameron


It's a small start but, hopefully, ALL foreign countries will withdraw their military forces from Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere at some point.