Cameron gives hints of Afghanistan troop withdrawal

David Cameron has said British troops could start coming home from Afghanistan as early as next year.

The prime minister was speaking as he visited the country to assess for himself the situation on the ground.

He said progress against the Taliban and in training Afghan military and police made him optimistic about the prospects for British troop withdrawal.

Last month, Mr Cameron made a commitment to MPs to withdraw British combat troops from Afghanistan by 2015.
Equipment promise

BBC deputy political editor James Landale, who is travelling with Mr Cameron, said it was almost a tradition now for prime ministers to visit Afghanistan before Christmas.

Mr Cameron went to Afghanistan, like his predecessors, to thank British forces for what they are doing in the country.

He did this with some in person at an isolated patrol base and with others by a round-robin Army fax.

Mr Cameron stayed overnight at the main British base, Camp Bastion, and promised the troops there more unmanned drones and Warthog armoured vehicles to take the fight to the Taliban.

After a day of visits and meetings, Mr Cameron said he was cautiously optimistic about the progress in denying the Taliban territory and in training Afghan police and troops.
‘Ahead of schedule’

Our correspondent said Mr Cameron was so confident that he said it was now possible some British combat troops could start returning to the UK next year.

Not everyone in the Army was keen on the idea but the prime minister has a firm commitment to get all combat troops out of Afghanistan by 2015 and wanted to make a start, our correspondent added.

Mr Cameron said: “We have to deliver on the ground what’s necessary, but what I’ve seen today gives me cause for cautious optimism.

“We are ahead of schedule on training up the Afghan National Army, I’ve just been to see Afghan police officers being trained up – 500 every eight weeks coming out of an academy run by the British. There are signs for optimism.”

The prime minister has told MPs that the country needed to know “there is an end point to all of this”.

The UK has more than 10,000 troops deployed in Afghanistan.
Source: BBC