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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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7

Britain to Send 500 More Troops to Afghanistan

Expects other NATO countries to follow suit

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(Newser) – Britain will send 500 more troops to Afghanistan, Gordon Brown is expected to announce today, defying calls to reduce Britain’s presence there. The men will come with strings attached, however: “The prime minister will want assurances from military chiefs that the extra troops will be properly equipped,” a BBC correspondent said. “He’ll also expect Britain’s NATO partners to follow suit.”

The move is “quite a bold decision,” says one former commander in Afghanistan, where Britain already has 9,000 troops, mostly in the southern province of Helmand, a Taliban stronghold. But he added that “We probably do need more than that.” Conservative leader David Cameron also backs sending more troops, while Liberal Democrats are calling for a “political surge” instead.

This British Ministry of Defense photograph made available Sunday Aug. 16, 2009 shows British troops in Sangin, Helmand Province in Afghanistan.
This British Ministry of Defense photograph made available Sunday Aug. 16, 2009 shows British troops in Sangin, Helmand Province in Afghanistan.   (AP Photo/MOD HANDOUT/SGT Dan Harmer RLC.)
In this Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009 file photo, a WMIK Landrover and a Jackel provide protection to a Combat Logistic Patrol in the streets of Sangin, Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
In this Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009 file photo, a WMIK Landrover and a Jackel provide protection to a Combat Logistic Patrol in the streets of Sangin, Helmand Province, Afghanistan.   (AP Photo/MOD HANDOUT/SGT Dan Harmer RLC.)
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown greets United States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at Chequers, the prime minister's official country residence, Sunday Oct 11, 2009.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown greets United States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at Chequers, the prime minister's official country residence, Sunday Oct 11, 2009.   (AP Photo/Oli Scarff, pool))
Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown, right, is greeted by Gen. Stanley McChrystal at Camp Bastion in Lashkar Gah in Afghanistan, Aug. 29, 2009.
Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown, right, is greeted by Gen. Stanley McChrystal at Camp Bastion in Lashkar Gah in Afghanistan, Aug. 29, 2009.   (AP Photo/Stefan Rousseau/PA)
In this image from the Ministry of Defence in London, Thursday July 16, 2009, children joke with British soldiers on a patrol in Afghanistan's Helmand province, Monday July 13, 2009.
In this image from the Ministry of Defence in London, Thursday July 16, 2009, children joke with British soldiers on a patrol in Afghanistan's Helmand province, Monday July 13, 2009.   (AP Photo/Sergeant Dan Harmer, Royal Logistic Corps, MOD, ho)
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7 comments
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divetrader
Oct 14, 09 7:14 AM CDT
The US is sending 16,000 more and the Brits are sending 500. Stupid Lemming! Reply
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IN RESPONSE:
dontlikeyou
Oct 14, 09 2:17 PM CDT
Wow, Britain..... you're too kind to help us out like that... 500 troops, wow, I mean, what is there to say? Now, can you send another 1000 or 2000 so you don't look like a bunch of ungrateful pricks?
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BoZo
Oct 14, 09 7:18 AM CDT
'Merica! World police! Reply
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+2
armywife
Oct 14, 09 7:31 AM CDT
well considering that we started this war all on our own, and none of the other countries *have* to send anyone at all, 9,000 plus 500 more is quite generous and we can use all the help we can get. i say thank you, britain, and we appreciate your support through all this. Reply
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IN RESPONSE:
zik
Oct 14, 09 12:57 PM CDT
amen... I just wish other NATO countries would be as helpful: re: Germany and France... People forget that Afghanistan is officially a NATO operation in reaction to the 9/11 attacks...
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