Did you read that thousands of US troops have been sent to Helmand province because British forces “lacked capacity”, the UK’s top commander in Afghanistan has said.

General Jim Dutton told the BBC there had been huge areas of southern Afghanistan with no military presence. But Gen Dutton said that was set to change, with thousands of American forces being sent to the south.

What bothers me about this that our government has failed in it’s duty towards our armed forces by putting them in the vice of Taliban ridden Helman without the right numbers, the right equipment and the right overall support. I never doubt the courage and tenacity of the British Army but I have nothing for contempt for the cowardly way in which this Labour government has systematically helped run down the services ever since it weaseled it’s way into power. The only way to deal with the Taliban in Helman is overwhelming power and a ruthless push for total victory. No prisoners should be taken, in every sense of the word. But it is a sad day when Britain has to beg the US to send in sufficient military resources because we lack them.