Ex-defence chiefs' verdict on Brown: dithering and failing British troops

THREE former defence chiefs have attacked Gordon Brown's commitment to the war in Afghanistan, accusing the Prime Minister of dithering and failing British troops.

The criticism came on the day the Prime Minister made a speech to try to re-establish his pledge on the war, amid growing opposition to Britain's role.

General Lord Guthrie, the former chief of defence staff, accused Mr Brown of "dithering" over his promise to deploy 500 extra troops and told the House of Lords: "The people in the front line are questioning whether the government is really, really committed to making progress in Afghanistan."

Field Marshal Lord Inge, another former chief of defence staff, said the Armed Forces felt Mr Brown "has never really been on their side and they have not had his support".

Lord Boyce, a former head of the armed forces, said the government "did not realise we are at war".

Their comments came despite Mr Brown trying to issue his starkest message yet to the regime of President Hamid Karzai.

"I am not prepared to put the lives of British men and women in harm's way for a government that does not stand up against corruption," Mr Brown said.

He said the Afghan government would have to improve its performance in five key areas: security, governance, reconciliation, economic development and engagement with its neighbours.

"If the government fails to meet these five tests, it will have not only failed its own people, it will have forfeited its right to international support," the Prime Minister said.

Afghanistan's government has become "a byword for corruption", he added. But Mr Brown stopped short of outlining what sanctions – if any – would be imposed if the Afghan president failed to clean up his administration.

Critics said the Prime Minister risked issuing tough-sounding rhetoric without the substance to back it up.

Shadow defence secretary Dr Liam Fox said Mr Brown had to be careful that his message was not "confused by mixed messages or empty threats".

He said: "We must put pressure on the Karzai government to improve governance and tackle corruption, but if our mission in Afghanistan is a national security imperative, it can't be conditional on the behaviour of others."

Former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell said: "The weakness of the Prime Minister's position is that it depends not only on President Karzai's good faith but also on his competence, neither of which have been in much evidence in recent months.

"To succeed, the allies will have to be willing to hold Karzai's' feet to the fire.

"The position is not helped by President Obama's long deliberation on a new strategy. He has created a vacuum at a time when decisiveness is essential."