During a joint press conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in the Afghan capital Kabul today, Mr Cameron said an additional £67m will be provided to help troops counter improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
A British counter-IED specialist at workHe also announced additional funding for policing, education, jobs and governance reform in Afghanistan.
Mr Cameron said:
"My biggest duty as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is to our Armed Forces and to make sure that they have all the equipment and all of the protection that they need to do the absolutely vital job that they are doing here in Afghanistan.
"I'm pleased to announce today that we will be spending an extra £67m on countering the IED threat and actually doubling the number of British teams that are there to counter the threat from those explosive devices."
British soldiers train members of the Afghan National Army in counter-IED techniquesMr Cameron emphasised the importance of the relationship between the two countries and that Afghanistan is Britain's most important foreign policy and national security issue.
He added that this year will be a 'vital year' when NATO forces have to make progress - both for the sake of the Afghan people and on behalf of people in Britain 'who want to see this work and want to see progress'.
The two leaders also met last month and held talks at Chequers where they agreed that the relationship between Afghanistan and Britain should be further strengthened.
Pictures: Staff Sergeant Mark Jones & Andy Cargill
Posts
It was nice of David to keep his election promise to the troops by increasing their well deserved allowance; however, I feel Pakistan is more of a threat to the UK/World...it is there that AQ have their camps and from where the Taleban hail...whilst he has pledged 67m to counter IEDs..until robots are used instead of 'foot soldiers'..our troops will still incure life changing injuries/death....and the insurgency will continue....
ReplyDeleteWhilst he states that this has to be a 'vital year' in terms of progress...he has not indicated on a 'withdrawal' time scale (and until the job is done, is not really good enough) because at the end of the day...the insurgency will continue.....
Whilst the majority of the people in this country do not trust their own government (lets face it, Karzai blows 'hot and cold', wants to release prisoners, sacks his staff when they disagree with him and has the front to belittle our efforts - no wonder these people find it hard to trust us, when we allow this (I wonder, would he side with the Taleban as long as he was kept in power?)does he care? and all the time the insurgency continues...
Nato/Isaf; Building, educating training....why? The outcome will be the same....the insurgency continues...
Ultimately, Our nations are losing out - we are throwing good money into this godforsaken country which is fool hardy, but more importantly, the loss of life not to mention wounded...cannot continue....and for the people of Afghan....well...what can one say..
Sorry....
For rout clearing in Afganistan why don't the army use the HUSKY V.M.M.D. The Americans & Canadians use this South African designed Mine detection vehicle. I'ts operator sits in a mine protected capsule & can sweep a greater area of ground than with hand held detecters. This vehicle can also be used by remote control & the front & rear suspension & subframes are designed to be easy to replace after a mine strike. More less expensive robots may also help to save life and limb, along with UAV 's thermal imaging & good int.
ReplyDelete