Afghanistan withdrawal: 500 troops to leave next year, David Cameron says

Prime Minister announced in the UK will withdraw 500 troops from Afghanistan next year, where the armed forces begin to move combat missions for the Afghan security forces on Wednesday. The decision comes two weeks after Obama said he intended to withdraw U.S. troops than 33,000 in the country by the end of autumn. The announcement was a controversial move that went against the advice of commanders on the ground. And David Cameron were also under pressure to consider withdrawing from the more radical areas of the province of Helmand, where currently stationed in Britain, but he took a more cautious approach of the White
House.

After advice from the Council of National Security and military officials, who warned that the situation remains fragile, the British government has chosen to keep the high number of troops until the end of 2012.

Explained to Congress why it can not withdraw 500 soldiers next year, said Cameron House that Afghanistan was entering a "new phase" and that "the country needs to know that there is an end point ... and this is true because in the United Kingdom and the right in Afghanistan. "

Cameron said there was evidence that has diminished the strength of al Qaeda, and there were signs that the Taliban were also weaker. "Afghan forces now stand ready to take over security ... There was real progress over the past two years."

In his statement to the House of Commons, Cameron said he was committed to ending the UK's role in the fighting in Afghanistan by the end of 2014.

"It gave the Afghans a clear deadline on which to plan and injected a sense of urgency in their efforts," he told members of Parliament.

It is believed that the British only in 2000 would be the country by the year 2014, and this means that there will be a sharp acceleration in the process of withdrawal in 2013. United Kingdom currently has 9,500 troops in Afghanistan. The ministers will meet had already announced 450 troops to come home this year - nearly half of them have already left. Later this month, Britain handed over responsibility for security in areas patrolled by British troops to the Afghan army and police.

Earlier this week during a visit to Afghanistan, and noted Cameron will not be there a significant reduction of the two seasons of summer, which is the traditional "fighting season" of the Army.

"You have a permanent number 9500. You will not see a radical change to fight in the season next year," said Cameron. "This is not what this is for 2014 is the deadline - do not doubt that this issue of governance is my opinion that it is the right of the British people and British army deserves to have some certainty ...."

The Prime Minister's visit coincided with the death of the last British soldier, the 375 had been killed in the country since 2001.

Scott McLaren (20 years) disappeared from the car at a checkpoint where he was stationed, early on Monday. His body was found after 4km away from large-scale search. He said he shot one of them to the back of the head.

Continued reports from Afghanistan indicate that the McLaren team, aiming Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland 4, left, and perhaps to go swimming.

However, the Ministry of Defense is still skeptical of stories. It is understood that CCTV footage from the checkpoint, in the river area os e, and appears to leave McLaren base of his own.