Iraq and the British Army

UK troop reserves 'almost gone'

The head of the Army has warned that British troops are so stretched that the nation's military reserves are "almost non-existent".

In the memo, leaked to the Daily Telegraph, General Sir Richard Dannatt said the Army was undermanned because of operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

He also said vital equipment was being used "at the edge of sustainability".

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said the forces were working hard but the current situation was "manageable".

General Dannatt also said the Army has "almost no capability to react to the unexpected".

Britain isn't leaving Iraq because of the politics, a lack of will amongst politicians and no doubt they are freaked out about somehow damaging their influence with America.

To every other person it makes sense to get out of there as soon as possible. All British troops are doing is remaining in their bases, not doing anything of consequence.

The British Military and Afghanistan

Ambassador forecasts 'marathon' British role in Afghanistan

Britain could be heavily involved in Afghanistan for decades, the UK's new ambassador to the country said today, calling it "a marathon not a sprint".

Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, who took up the post last month after stints as ambassador in Israel and Saudi Arabia, said Britain's recently expanded diplomatic efforts in the country could have begun sooner.

"Maybe we should have raised our game earlier, but now we have," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme from Kabul.

British troops probably really want to go to Afghanistan because its a proper war, with less civilians , a chance for them to fire their weapons, see live action, chance to get a medal heh

unlike Iraq, you know perhaps Britain should withdraw from Iraq and concentrated our forces in Afghanistan. Currently the British army suffers from equipment which is old or wearing out, from helicopters to planes to vehicles.