British Military Chiefs: More Troops Needed

Thousands of Additional Troops Needed to Continue Afghan War

Britain’s military has been complaining for years that overseas operations are straining the forces to the limit, and the latest escalation in Afghanistan has unsurprisingly increased that problem.

Top British military figures now say that thousands of additional troops will have to be recruited if they are to continue committing forces overseas. Of Britain’s 100,000 soldiers, 9,500 are in Afghanistan, with thousands of others in overseas postings elsewhere.

Last month, top MP Kim Howells warned that the British government could not continue in its role as “world police” and advised the nation to rethink its role internationally.

But even though polls show a growing majority of Britain’s population against the war in Afghanistan, both major parties are on the side of escalation in the war. Though Britain is having budget problems it seems likely whichever party emerges victorious will support the increase in the military’s size.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.