Forces under pressure

It is not the outcome John Reid had in mind when, as Defence Secretary in April 2006, he said Britain would be content to leave Afghanistan in three years without having fired a shot. Millions of bullets have been fired by British forces since then in a messy conflict that has claimed the lives of more than 100 servicemen and women. Far from leaving Afghanistan in 2009, British troop numbers will rise to a record high of more than 8000 next year. Withdrawal is simply not on the agenda, as was confirmed by Defence Secretary Des Browne's statement in the Commons yesterday.