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19/09/2006
Taliban fight 'even harder' than expected
Defence Secretary Des Browne has said that the fight against the Taliban in Afghanistan has been "even harder" than expected.
In a speech to the Royal United Services Institute in London, Mr Browne said that the Taliban's tenacity in the face of "massive losses" had been "a surprise."
The Defence Secretary said that this had absorbed more of the UK effort than predicted and had slowed progress on reconstruction in Iraq.
However, Mr Browne added: "Success won't be what we understand by security and prosperity and proper governance, but it will be progress and it will be massively worth achieving."
Mr Browne also called for other Nato members to respond to calls for an additional 2,500 troops to be sent to Afghanistan.
(KMcA/EF)
In a speech to the Royal United Services Institute in London, Mr Browne said that the Taliban's tenacity in the face of "massive losses" had been "a surprise."
The Defence Secretary said that this had absorbed more of the UK effort than predicted and had slowed progress on reconstruction in Iraq.
However, Mr Browne added: "Success won't be what we understand by security and prosperity and proper governance, but it will be progress and it will be massively worth achieving."
Mr Browne also called for other Nato members to respond to calls for an additional 2,500 troops to be sent to Afghanistan.
(KMcA/EF)
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