Planning for the withdrawal in Afghanistan, with benchmarks

The Brits are reporting on a 'summit' to plan the withdrawal from Afghanistan

A lengthy withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan will start unfolding towards the end of next year under plans to be agreed by allied powers at a conference in London in January.

- ... -

But the prime minister set out five benchmarks – the last of which would pave the way for a lengthy process of withdrawal to begin – that the Afghan government will be asked to meet at the conference in London on 28 January:

■ Within three months Kabul must identify additional troops to send to Helmand province for training. So far this year, 98�British soldiers have been killed in the province, the heaviest annual death toll since the conflict began eight years ago. Brown said: 'This is part of our idea that we will build up the Afghan army by nearly 50,000 [from 90,000] over the course of the next year.'

■ Within six months there must be clear plans for police training.

■ Within nine months President Hamid Karzai must have appointed almost 400 provincial and district governors.

■ Within 12 months 5,000 additional Afghan troops will be trained by Britain in Helmand and thousands more in other parts of the country.

■ By the end of 2010 Afghan security forces must be taking the lead in five out of the country's 34 provinces. Control in one or two districts in Helmand will also be handed over.

By: Brant