Tories demand troop explanation
Tories demand troop explanation
Also In The News
|
Head teachers have voted to launch a campaign that would see school league tables in England abolished. |  |
Monday, 01, May 2006 02:48
The Conservatives are calling on defence secretary John Reid make a statement to the Commons to address the confusion over the role of British troops in Afghanistan.
With Britain preparing to send a 3,300-strong taskforce to its Helmand province in the south of the country, Tory defence spokesman Liam Fox told GMTV’s Sunday Programme that the government had failed to address his concerns over the deployment.
Dr Liam Fox highlighted claims that Royal Marines were being trained for search and destroy-type missions and said the government's assurances over the mission were "confusing".
"We have questions about the size of the deployment and the rules of engagement," he said.
"The question is: Are our troops being given everything they require to make the mission a success and is everything being done to maximise their safety within that mission and I still have reservations about that?"
Dr Fox said it would be "unacceptable" to fail to act to prevent the spread of terrorism but to "act to fail" would be a "strategic disaster".
He urged Dr Reid to take a "long hard look" at the size of the deployment, rules of engagement and equipment and questioned where reinforcements would come from if they required back-up.
