Britain to send 700 extra troops to Afghanistan to boost security for August elections

October 3rd, 2009 Top British general: Ready to boost Afghan forceLONDON — The U.K. is ready to send more soldiers to Afghanistan, if asked to by the commander of the U.S.

September 30th, 2009 UK can play only small role in Afghan troop surgeBRIGHTON, England — Britain's defense secretary said Monday that the U.K. has only limited scope to send more troops to Afghanistan, despite calls from military leaders to support U.S.

September 22nd, 2009 LONDON - Britain is making plans to send up to 1,000 extra troops to Afghanistan to meet the call for reinforcements made by the US commander in Kabul. The troops would be Britain's contribution to a military surge called for by General Stanley McChrystal, who commands NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, some details of which were leaked to an American newspaper yesterday.

September 22nd, 2009 UK's Brown seeks fewer UK troops in AfghanistanLONDON — British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Tuesday he was focused on cutting back on the number of the country's troops in Afghanistan, despite a report from the top U.S. commander calling for an increase in the number of soldiers.

August 2nd, 2009 McCain says US may need more troops in AfghanistanWASHINGTON — Sen. John McCain says it appears that the U.S.

July 30th, 2009 Spain ready to boost Afghan troopsMADRID — Spain is prepared to boost its long-term troop presence in Afghanistan if conditions there require it, a Spanish official said Thursday. A government spokesman speaking on customary condition of anonymity said Spain's permanent presence could be elevated from 780 troops to 1,000 after elections in August.

July 25th, 2009 LONDON - The British government will send reinforcements to Afghanistan to help maintain the required operational effectiveness in the wake of rising number of casualties suffered by its troops while fighting the Taliban in that country, officials said Friday. Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said 125 additional soldiers will be deployed in Afghanistan to strengthen the security ahead of the presidential elections in August.

July 14th, 2009 British to send 140 more troops to AfghanistanLONDON — Britain is sending an additional 140 troops to Afghanistan to bolster the war effort there. The Ministry of Defense says the soldiers will be transferred from a British base in Cyprus to the war zone.

July 14th, 2009 Britain to send 140 more troops to AfghanistanLONDON — Britain is sending an additional 140 troops to Afghanistan to bolster the war effort there. The Ministry of Defense says the soldiers will be transferred from a British base in Cyprus to the war zone.

June 10th, 2009 LAHORE - Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said the US move to send 21,000 extra troops to war-ravaged Afghanistan could have serious implications for his country. "Pakistan has talked through political and military ways at all levels to the stakeholders that transferring the problem from Afghanistan to Pakistan will not help resolve the issue," he told reporters in Islamabad on Tuesday.

June 10th, 2009 Dutch general says new troops will disrupt TalibanHOUTHEM-SINT GERLACH, Netherlands — The Dutch general commanding NATO-led troops in southern Afghanistan says new forces pouring into the region will allow coalition allies to push deeper into the heart of Taliban-held territory. Thousands of extra American troops are arriving in southern Afghanistan to strengthen the fight against insurgents in the Taliban's heartland.

April 29th, 2009 Australia to send 280 more troops to AfghanistanCANBERRA, Australia — Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says Australia will send 280 additional troops to Afghanistan, increasing the overall Australian deployment there to about 1,380. It is the first increase by Australia — the biggest contributor to the U.S.-led coalition outside NATO — since Rudd took office in 2007.

April 29th, 2009 CANBERRA - Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has announced that his government will send 450 extra troops to beef up security in troubled Afghanistan. However, there will be no combat troops among the latest contingent.

April 29th, 2009 Australia to send 450 more troops to AfghanistanCANBERRA, Australia — Australia announced Wednesday it will increase by almost one half its troops in Afghanistan to about 1,550 as part of the U.S.-led surge of international forces to bolster the faltering fight against Taliban insurgents. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who has mostly played down prospects of increasing Australia's commitment against Afghan insurgents since taking office in 2007, said he had been persuaded to increase the deployment during discussions last week with President Barack Obama.

March 27th, 2009 LONDON - British Army Chief General Sir Richard Dannatt is ready to send 2,000 troops to Afghanistan, increasing soldiers strength to 10,000. General Dannatt fears that the US-led mission will struggle without significant reinforcements and is waiting British Cabinet approval to send additional troops to Afghanistan.