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Election risk for UK's Afghan troops

Source: observer.guardian.co.uk

Nov 08, 2009

Summary

General Stanley McChrystal fears Taliban will try to exploit British doubts about wisdom of the Afghan mission

America's top general in Afghanistan believes Britain's 9,000 troops should be removed out of "harm's way" because the Taliban will target them in the run- up to next year's general election, it was reported last night.

General Stanley McChrystal, the Nato commander in Kabul, holds the view that Britain's continued participation in Afghanistan will be more acceptable to an increasingly sceptical British public if troops are switched to less dangerous duties including "capacity building".

His thinking, reported by the Independent on Sunday, is understood to be influenced by fears that the death toll among British soldiers, now standing at 230, could rise to 400 by the likely date of a British general election in May or early June next year.

The development will be welcomed by the growing number of military experts and politicians, including senior figures in the Labour party, who now favour a phased withdrawal of British troops.

McChrystal is said to be ke

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