David Cameron begins US visit with talks over Afghanistan

THE PRIME Minister David Cameron was flying to the USA today for talks with President Barack Obama at which the world leaders will discuss a timescale for the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.

Both leaders have stressed in public that there will be no rush to pull out allied troops in the wake of the recent deaths of six British soldiers and the massacre of 16 Afghan civilians by a renegade US serviceman.

They are expected to focus during the three-day visit on the timing of handover of the lead security responsibility throughout the country to Afghan forces during 2013.

This will allow allied troops to step back into a support role in the fight against the Taleban and begin the process of returning home by the previously-agreed target of the end of 2014.

An announcement on the date for transition to Afghan control is not expected until Nato’s Chicago summit in May. Nato agreed at a previous summit in Lisbon in 2010 that home-grown forces would take the lead responsibility for security by the end of 2013, but there was some speculation today that this could be brought forward to the summer of next year.

Mr Cameron wants to ensure that the UK and US are “in lockstep” over the handling of the sensitive conclusion to an operation which will have lasted 13 years by the time international troops are pulled out.

Mr Cameron and Mr Obama used a joint article in the Washington Post today to declare that they are “proud of the progress our troops have made in dismantling al Qaida, breaking the Taleban’s momentum and training Afghan forces”.

The three-day visit will also be a celebration of the close relationship between the US and Britain, with a star-studded state dinner at the White House, a trip on Air Force One for the two leaders to watch a basketball game in Ohio, and public appearances for Samantha Cameron with First Lady Michelle Obama.