Former Army chief claims troop request rejected
Former head of British Army claims Gordon Brown refused request for more troops in Afghanistan
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By Matt Hallam. |  |
Tuesday, 06, Oct 2009 05:10
By Richard James.
The former head of the Army has claimed Gordon Brown refused his request for a major troop reinforcement in Afghanistan this year.
General Sir Richard Dannatt alleges the prime minister rejected military chiefs' advice for an extra 2,000 troops to be sent to Helmand province.
He told the Sun newspaper British soldiers are currently fighting with "part of one arm" tied behind their back.
In the interview, Sir Richard also branded ministers "pathetic" for allegedly trying to tarnish his reputation after he raised concerns over manpower and equipment in Afghanistan.
The 58-year-old said: "The military advice has been for an uplift since the beginning of 2009.
"If the military says we need more troops and we can supply them, then frankly they should take that advice and deploy up to the level we recommend.
"If it means finding more resources and putting more energy in, let's do it.
"If you're going to conduct an operation, you're doing it for a reason - to succeed."
There are currently just over 9,000 British soldiers serving in Afghanistan, but there have been increasing calls for a rise in troop numbers as the fight against the Taliban continues to show signs of stalling.
Public opinion in Britain and the US has started to turn against the ongoing military campaign, especially in light of the controversial elections held during the summer.
Downing Street has denied Sir Richard's claims that requests for an extra 2,000 troops were rejected.