Some Brits Not Happy with Possible Shift to K'Har?

Remember this?

Afghanistan surge planned as shift to Kandahar proposed for UK soldiers
US commanders draw up strategic plans for what they hope will be a final and conclusive push against Taliban-led insurgents

Now, we see this:

.... The Independent has learned that although the two most senior British commanders in Afghanistan are backing the proposed transfer, the head of the military, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, believes it will be a mistake. So keen are the Americans for the British force to make the switch that Washington has offered to underwrite a sizeable part of the substantial costs involved.

(....)

The plan to move the 9,500-strong British contingency has been necessitated by the refusal of the Canadian government to extend the mandate of its 3,000 troops in Afghanistan when it runs out next year. The Dutch force in Uruzgan is also expected to leave, creating yet another "hole" that Nato has to fill at a critical juncture in the war.

(....)

Although there will be targeted operations in Kandahar City, the main thrust of military action would be into outlying areas which have slipped back to insurgent control. Any UK force sent to the area would have the job of holding that cleared ground.

Proponents of the move say that taking on the Kandahar challenge will help heal the fractures in US-UK relations that date back to 2007, when British forces began drawing down from Basra, ultimately refusing American requests to stay on.

Opponents of the redeployment say it will mean abandoning the "blood and treasure" – military parlance for combat and financial investment – made by the UK in Helmand. Out of 281 British fatalities in the Afghan war to date, 250 have been in Helmand.

Sceptics of the switch, especially in the Foreign Office, also stress that valuable experience and knowledge of tribal and political complexities in Helmand would be lost at a time when some progress has been made.

Kandahar, they also warn, is unlikely to be a short-term commitment, which could be problematic at a time when the British public are increasingly questioning how long the deployment will last.

A diplomatic source said: "The military always felt unhappy about the justifications given for the Iraq war. They don't feel the same way about Afghanistan and some of them are quite Messianic. This is a lot to do with that. But many of us feel that we should stick to what we have in Helmand and not be over-ambitious." ....

Earlier:

Afstan: Two new commands likely to replace RC South