Afghanistan: What is the UK doing there?

telegraph: The Tories have called for "clarity" over Britain's deployment of thousands of troops to Afghanistan and questioned what the nature of their role would be in the country.

Shadow Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox pointed to reports that troops were being trained for search and destroy-type missions and said that answers from Government over the nature of the mission were "confusing".

He said he supported "in principle" the fact that Afghanistan needed to be stabilised and the Nato mission to combat the trade in opium.

But he called for a "long hard look" at the size of the deployment, rules of engagement and equipment.

He told GMTV's The Sunday Programme: "We want to make sure that the mission is very clear so that we know when it has been completed and when our troops will be coming back.

"We also want to know exactly what they will be doing. Are they going to be countering insurgents, are they going to be there purely for reconstruction, are they going to be anti-narcotics?

"I am afraid that some of the answers we have got back from the Government have been rather confusing."

Dr Fox claimed the Royal Marines - who he said were to be deployed in October to replace members of The Parachute Regiment - were already being trained for search and destroy-type missions.

He questioned where reinforcements would come from if they required back-up.

Dr Fox said it would be "unacceptable" to fail to act to prevent the spread of terrorism, but also to "act to fail" which would be a "strategic disaster". Link

db: The UK media are unlikely to give this much attention - what with the more sensational fodder available currently - Prescott/Clarke/Rooney's foot etc. But it does seem that the Tories are on the button with this line of enquiry. John Reid has been less than convincing regarding the Afghanistan deployment. Whilst few seem to care currently - this may change when Reid's mission to protect the 'reconstruction aim' goes 'pear shaped'.