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05/10/2009
Minister Tackled On Troop Numbers
A serving solider has made a direct call to the Armed Forces Minister to increase troop numbers in Afghanistan.
Bomb disposal specialist Staff Sgt Kim Hughes told Bob Ainsworth "more troops on the ground" are needed.
The Minister, who landed at Camp Bastion accompanied by Home Secretary Alan Johnson, had asked the solider what was his "top desire from right here at the chalkface".
Mr Ainsworth responded by stating reinforcements would be deployed slowly, with greater support needed from non-UK forces .
"We have got to try to get others to do their share," he said.
Staff Sgt Hughes told Mr Ainsworth more equipment would be "ideal", but that the most pressing issues is "more troops on the ground".
"If you give us more troops, we can form a counter-IED (improvised explosive device) taskforce to train ground troops better," he said.
Mr Ainsworth said all countries involved in the Afghan operation had to commit more resources.
"We cannot do it alone," he said.
"We have got to try to get others to do their share and the other thing we have got to think about is how quickly we do it ... it takes time, you can throw money at this and it still takes time."
Mr Ainsworth and Mr Johnson also met with the personnel behind UK and US-led schemes set up to support local forces.
(PR/KMcA)
Bomb disposal specialist Staff Sgt Kim Hughes told Bob Ainsworth "more troops on the ground" are needed.
The Minister, who landed at Camp Bastion accompanied by Home Secretary Alan Johnson, had asked the solider what was his "top desire from right here at the chalkface".
Mr Ainsworth responded by stating reinforcements would be deployed slowly, with greater support needed from non-UK forces .
"We have got to try to get others to do their share," he said.
Staff Sgt Hughes told Mr Ainsworth more equipment would be "ideal", but that the most pressing issues is "more troops on the ground".
"If you give us more troops, we can form a counter-IED (improvised explosive device) taskforce to train ground troops better," he said.
Mr Ainsworth said all countries involved in the Afghan operation had to commit more resources.
"We cannot do it alone," he said.
"We have got to try to get others to do their share and the other thing we have got to think about is how quickly we do it ... it takes time, you can throw money at this and it still takes time."
Mr Ainsworth and Mr Johnson also met with the personnel behind UK and US-led schemes set up to support local forces.
(PR/KMcA)
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