U.K. Will Keep Training Afghan Police After Murders

[maddezmom]

Source: Bloomberg

Nov. 6 (Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Gordon Brown will say the U.K. plans to press ahead training Afghanistan’s army and police even though five soldiers were murdered by a rogue officer earlier this week.

“We will not give up this strategy of mentoring, because it is what distinguishes a liberating army from an army of occupation,” Brown will say in a speech in London today, according to excerpts released by his office.

Support for the war effort in Britain has dissipated as the death toll mounted in Afghanistan. A total of 230 British forces personnel have died while serving there. Britain has about 9,000 troops in the nation. President Barack Obama is weighing whether to send as many as 40,000 more U.S. personnel in addition to the 68,000 due to be serving by the end of the year.

A total of 57 percent of the 1,021 British adults polled by YouGov Plc on Nov. 4 said victory is no longer possible, while 33 percent said the war can be won. Two weeks ago, 48 percent thought Britain and its allies couldn’t defeat the Taliban.


Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601102&sid=a4NhDEzI897s