Britain breathed a collective sigh of relief yesterday as their six year long commitment to the US invasion of Iraq finally came to an end. Today, while reflecting on the unpopular Iraq invasion, Britons are speculating on the nation’s growing involvement in the seemingly endless war in Afghanistan.
But while the Labour government seems as eager as ever to participate in global military adventures, the reality of a crumbling economy and rising government debt, coupled with popular discontent with the government is expected to seriously curb their ability to do so.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has pledged to send at least 700 more troops to Afghanistan to provide security for the election to be held later this year. While the United States had sought a massive NATO surge to go along with its own escalation, the same combination of factors effecting Britain has prevented many from sending any troops at all.