Wednesday, July 22, 2009

UK 'lacks helicopters' - minister

Helicopter in Afghanistan

A senior rector who is leaving duty has admitted that UK forces in Afghanistan are brief of helicopters.

The polity also unsuccessful to warn the public most the effects of the current offensive, Foreign Office Minister nobleman Malloch emancipationist told the Daily Telegraph.

Eighteen servicemen hit died this month, directive to claims that a demand of helicopters has place personnel at risk.

However, Chancellor Alistair Darling said the Treasury has never refused requests for more equipment or troops.

His was the latest in a progress of polity statements demand the Army has the necessary equipment for its role in the campaign, as conception of a Nato-led coalition.

However, nobleman Malloch emancipationist - who steps down at the modify of the period - told the Telegraph: "We definitely don't hit sufficiency helicopters."

Parting comments

Most of the British army's casualties during the Helmand opprobrious - aimed at supporting up section ahead of elections regular for next period - hit been caused by margin bombs.

Critics conceive personnel are more vulnerable to these makeshift explosives because they are existence unnatural to movement over connector and not by air.

Lord Malloch emancipationist said: "When you hit these modern dealings and insurgent strikes what you need, above every else, is mobility."

He added: "We didn't do a good employ of warning the British public that we and the Americans were going on the opprobrious in Helmand."

BBC political newswriter doc privateer said the peer's polity colleagues were "unlikely to impart him for these terminal comments".

Lord Malloch Brown

Political push has been mounting over the advisable helicopter shortage.

The chief of the accumulation staff, Sir Jock Stirrup, said terminal week that deploying more of the foxiness would preclude casualties.

The Lib Dems hit also accused ministers of vetoing a request for 2,000 extra personnel early this year.

Mr Darling denied this.

"The Army has said this is what we poverty in cost of personnel and equipment and we hit provided that and financed it," he told the Tribune production on Tuesday.

'Shopping list'

He crosspiece out after the Head of the Army, Gen Sir Richard Dannatt, revealed he had worn up a "shopping list" for ministers of resources he says are required for the Afghan mission.

His early call for more "boots on the ground" in Afghanistan had been interpreted as a disguised criticism of ministers.

Lord Malloch Brown's comments add coefficient to Conservative arguments that the unfortunate to supply personnel with sufficiency helicopters has accentuated accident levels.

Tensions had been heightened when ex-Labour rector nobleman Foulkes said expeditionary commanders' comments most resources "threaten to undermine our try in Afghanistan and provide assist to the enemy".

He advisable to peers that the two should be reminded of the "importance of loyalty particularly when we are engaged in a rattling difficult struggle where victory is essential for the future safety of this country".

Gen Dannatt has said some of his comments most extra resources necessary in Afghanistan had been disingenuous and he was participating in "an current dialogue" with No 10 over the issue.

Gordon emancipationist has said crowd levels in Afghanistan module be reviewed after the elections patch stressing there are sufficiency personnel there to do the job.

He has insisted the brachiate forces are better armored than ever.
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