Brown backs boost in troop numbers; But no date for arrival in Afghanistan.

Byline: Jon Smith

GORDON Brown yesterday gave the go ahead "in principle" for the deployment of an additional 500 British troops to Afghanistan, taking the total United Kingdom force there to 9,500.

In a Commons statement, the Prime Minister said he was responding to "clear military advice" from the Chiefs of Staff and from military commanders on the ground.

However, he told MPs the reinforcements were dependent on a series of conditions being met, including a requirement that all troops would be fully equipped for the tasks they were being sent to undertake. Earlier, he came under fire from former defence secretary John Hutton, who said it would have been "much more helpful" if the reinforcements had been sent six months ago. Head of the army, General Sir David Richards said he was "confident" Mr Brown's criteria would be met.

But Downing Street was unable to say when the deployment of the additional troops would take place. As well as ensuring they were properly equipped, Mr Brown said there had to be an agreed approach across the international coalition, with all countries, "bearing their fair share".

In the meantime, the Prime Minister said, there would be a greater concentration of British forces in central Helmand, with the redeployment of the southern regional battle group from Kandahar.

It is understood the Royal Anglian Regiment is to be deployed to Helmand to fulfil the role, ahead of the return next month of the Black Watch battle group from Kandahar.

In the Commons, Tory leader David Cameron called for Whitehall to be put on a "proper war footing" to run the Afghanistan campaign".

He said: "We need a clear sense of direction from ministers, a clear sense of who is in day to day charge, and a government machine that responds quickly and decisively."

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said there was still no overarching strategy and no coordinated international plan for Afghanistan. "We cannot continue to fight this war on half-horsepower with half-measures and half-baked thinking," he said.

Earlier, Mr Brown began the first Prime Minister's questions of the new parliamentary term by reading out the roll-call of 37 British military personnel killed over the summer. The US administration last night reacted warmly to the announcement of British troop numbers.

OBAMA STILL SEEKING ANSWERS US President Barack Obama yesterday convened his war council to discuss strategy and the possibility of increasing its military presence in the region.

in Afghanistan's political structure. But a return to power for the Taliban would not be tolerated, a senior aide told the Associated Press.

The meeting of the president's national security team was the latest in a series of White House discussions over the way forward in Afghanistan. The review of strategy in Afghanistan comes amid waning public support for US involvement in the conflict.

Officials have indicated the US administration is prepared to accept some Taliban involvement According to one recent opinion poll, support for the war in the USA now stands at 40%, down from 44% in July.