Brits to be big cheeses in Regional Command South?

Some Brit leaking here, but might just make sense given size of the UK contribution (and size of their army):

Britain is poised to send another 450 troops to Afghanistan and take control of its most war-torn region for at least the next two years following pressure from the United States, The Daily Telegraph has learned.

Despite concerns that British forces are already overstretched, Cabinet ministers are seriously considering a US request for Britain to take command of all Nato troops in southern Afghanistan for another two years of intense combat with the Taliban.

Defence officials believe the plan will require even more troops and The Daily Telegraph understands that they have drawn up proposals to send another 450 servicemen to Afghanistan - taking British numbers there above 8,200 [emphasis added].

In return, Britain has asked America to send more troops to Afghanistan early next year.

Canada currently holds the command of Nato forces in southern Afghanistan, with the responsibility due to pass to the Netherlands for nine months from November.

However, American defence planners have concerns about the rotating leadership. Washington wants Britain to replace the Dutch command and run the Regional Command (South) area from autumn this year until at least the spring of 2010.

One insider said: "It is a question of experience at that level of leadership - the Dutch just don't have as much as us or the Americans."..

From an Ottawa Citizen story on the current Canadian commander in RC South that notices the Telegraph report:

The Canadian general commanding 13,000 Canadian, American, and European combat troops in the Taliban heartland says winning is not the way to judge success in fighting Afghanistan's insurgents.

"I never use the term winning because it too simplistic and does not relate to what we are doing here," Maj.-Gen. Marc Lessard said in his first formal interview since assuming command of NATO's Regional Command South in January...

Command in the south rotates between Dutch, British and Canadian generals who report to U.S. Gen. Dan McNeill, the NATO commander in Afghanis-tan. Yesterday, the Daily Telegraph reported that American defence planners have concerns about the rotating leadership, believing the mission needs greater "continuity of command." They have asked the British to take over from Canada in November, with one insider saying "it is a question of experience at that level of leadership -- the Dutch just don't have as much as us or the Americans."

As well as better security in Canada's area of responsibility in Kandahar, Lessard cited similar trends in western Uruzgan after a Dutch-led joint operation with the U.S. "cleared the Taliban out in January," and the re-opening of a bazaar after three years in Helmand where British troops were stationed...

And, of course, the fact that the CF are officially to leave Kandahar in 2011 might just be another factor (some interesting thoughts here on that from Jack Granatstein).