2,000 British troops ready to increase force in Afstan

Should the politicians give the order:

Two thousand troops designated by army chiefs for possible deployment to Afghanistan to boost Britain’s military presence to 10,000 are on “high readiness for operations”.

The troops have just completed an intensive final training programme on Salisbury Plain and army sources warned that there were risks if the men had to wait around for a long period before being given a combat mission. “It’s a perishable set of skills,” one source said.

Defence officials said, however, that despite the operational readiness of the troops, there had been no political decision over whether the personnel from 12 Mechanised Brigade should be sent to Afghanistan.

Arguments for and against are continuing in Whitehall, with the Ministry of Defence and the Treasury said to be on opposing sides. The Treasury is worried about the costs that will have to come out of its reserves. With 21,000 extra American troops deploying to Afghanistan in the summer [details on deployments to RC South here, here and here], however, Britain has been under pressure to boost its contribution in the expectation of a surge in Taleban attacks in the south...

The troops have been training this month with 250 vehicles, fighter jets and helicopters. Brigadier David Cullen, Commander of 12 Mechanised Brigade, said: “This exercise was the culmination of an intensive period of training and preparation and offered an excellent opportunity to place troops under conditions similar to those they could encounter on current operations.”..

The decision was revealed in The Times last month in an interview with General Sir Richard Dannatt, the Chief of the General Staff...

Meanwhile the CF are holding a big exercise of their own preparing for our next roto to Afstan in September.