David Cameron pledges more funds for Afghan IED threat
June 10, 2010
David Cameron has announced more money for tackling the threat of roadside bombs in Afganistan, during his first visit to the country as prime minister.
In a press conference in Kabul, Mr Cameron said the issue of Afghanistan was his “number one priority”.
He said an extra £67m would go into countering insurgents’ bombs. Last year former PM Gordon Brown pledged £150m over three years for a similar project.
Mr Cameron said there were no plans for more UK troops to be committed.
Afghanistan was the UK government’s “most important foreign policy” and “national security issue”, he said.
Britain has about 10,000 troops in Afghanistan, including some 500 special forces.
In response to questions Mr Cameron said the issue of sending more UK troops to the country was “not remotely” on the government’s agenda.
There has been pressure on the Army to produce more bomb-disposal experts quickly, as a result of the threat of roadside bombs in Afghanistan - the biggest single killer of troops.
Last month the Army’s top bomb disposal officer - Colonel Bob Seddon - resigned over fears bomb disposal training could be compromised.
‘Vital year’
Speaking alongside Mr Karzai at his presidential palace on Thursday, Mr Cameron said the number of British teams dealing with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) would be doubled.
He also said extra funding would be provided for Afghanistan to build up its army, police and civil service capacity.
That was important in what was “the vital year” to make progress in stabilising the country, he added.
Analysis
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I think the PM is acutely aware that public opinion will not tolerate an open-ended presence of British forces continuing to fight and die on a regular basis in Afghanistan.
What the PM is trying to do is two things. On the one hand explain more clearly to the British public why it is necessary, in Britain’s national security interests, to have British forces remaining in Afghanistan.
On the other hand he is also using the language of the end game. He is not predicting when British troops are going to come out but he is clearly saying this is the vital year.
He talked like I have never heard a British PM do about the time after British troops have left.
Certainly, a hardening of the rhetoric to say to people: This is why we are there but we are not going to be there forever.
Mr Cameron went on to describe relations between the two countries as “very, very important”.
He said: “For me, the issue of Afghanistan is the most important foreign policy issue, the most important national security issue for my country.”
The PM added: “I think there is progress being made… particularly progress that has been made in terms of driving al Qaeda both out of Afghanistan and… seriously damaging its interests in Pakistan.
“It is through that prism of national security that I want to see this whole issue. Our overriding focus must be to help the Afghans and to help Afghanistan to take control of its own security and its own destiny.”
Mr Cameron said that alongside the Nato-led military surge which has been under way for six months, there must be a “proper political settlement”.
He said he welcomed last week’s Kabul peace meeting - or jirga - at which Mr Karzai discussed proposals to encourage elements of the Taliban to rejoin the political mainstream.
Last month Mr Cameron met Afghan President Hamid Karzai in the UK, and both said they wanted to “further strengthen” relations between their countries.
Since becoming PM he has also sent a ministerial delegation - comprising Foreign Secretary William Hague, Defence Secretary Liam Fox and International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell - to assess the situation.
Earlier this week, following talks with US Defence Secretary Robert Gates, Dr Fox made clear that he had no plans to switch British forces from Helmand - where the bulk are deployed - to Kandahar where the Americans are preparing a major offensive.
On Thursday the top Nato commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, said the operation to gain control of Kandahar would now move at a slower pace than planned, in order to ensure local support.
In December, Mr Cameron visited UK troops in Helmand province while still leader of the opposition. He told them that he was “not interested in cutting and running” from Afghanistan.
This week British soldier Lance Bombardier Mark Chandler, 32, from Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, was killed in a gun battle in Nad Ali district, Helmand.
On Wednesday a soldier from 2nd Battalion The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment died in an explosion.
His was the 294th UK military death in Afghanistan since 2001.
Source: bbc.co.uk/
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