Two fighting seasons to go, warns general over pull-out

PRIME Minister David Cameron is under pressure to slow down the withdrawal of British troops from Afghanistan after Britain's most senior general in the warzone warned against any major reductions before the end of next year.

Lieutenant General James Bucknall said the coalition had to hold on to recent gains and should not send "conflicting signals" about its commitment.

The intervention comes amid debate over when the military surge implemented by US President Barack Obama should be wound down.

Mr Cameron announced last month that about 450 UK personnel are to be pulled out by the end of the year, and there have been hints that further cuts could follow.

The elimination of Osama bin Laden has added impetus to calls for operations to be scaled back.Lt Gen Bucknall - deputy to US General David Petraeus in Afghanistan - said the 130,000 Nato troops now deployed could be cut this year by trimming roles such as cooks and engineers.

But "in broadest terms", the reinforcements which arrived last year had to stay, he said. "The coalition has had a good winter. We have got to hold on to what we have gained and hold that over this fighting season.

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"What we are doing is reaping the benefits of having the resources in place to match the strategy we have always had. Many of those resources only hit the ground in autumn 2010.

"We need, in broadest terms, that set of resources in place for two winters and two fighting seasons, which would mean we are talking about autumn 2012. This is not the time to send conflicting signals on commitment to the campaign."

His comments have been interpreted as part of a wider concern among military officers over the coalition government's plans to cut the size of the army after the Afghan conflict ends.

Unlike the RAF and navy, the army has been spared major reductions because it has been at war in Afghanistan. But with troops set to be brought home from Germany, as well as plans to pull out of Afghanistan quickly, it is believed that major cuts are on their way.

There was anger in government circles yesterday, with a Whitehall source saying "politicians decide, generals advise".

But military observer Clive Fairweather, a former second in command of the SAS, said he understands that a wider political game is being played."From what I am being told, the generals know that once Afghanistan is over it will be their turn in terms of the cuts, especially with the Treasury banging on the Prime Minister's door about defence spending," he said.

"Afghanistan was the reason that the army has been largely spared and the government appears to be in a hurry to withdraw partly because Mr Cameron is not particularly committed to it, but also because of the desire to reduce costs."

A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said: "Afghanistan remains our top priority. UK forces will no longer be in a combat role or in the present numbers by 2015, but may remain to train and mentor the Afghan forces after that."