Source: Mail Online
'We went to war to keep the Army busy': Top diplomat sparks outrage saying troops were sent to Afghanistan so forces numbers would not be cut
By Daily Mail Reporter
14 January 2011
A furious row has erupted in Whitehall after a former Kabul envoy claimed British commanders committed troops to war in Afghanistan because they feared cuts if they did not use them.
Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles said he had been told by the former head of the Army, General Sir Richard Dannatt, that if he did not re-deploy battle groups coming free from Iraq he would lose them in a future defence review.
In a written memorandum to the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, he said the Afghan campaign had seen 'unprecedented' resources diverted to the Army, and that most soldiers appeared to be 'enjoying' it.
Sir Dannatt has strongly denied the allegations and slammed the remarks as 'a disgraceful set of comments', adding: 'It's not his business to opine about the Army. He is well out of lane and well out of order.'
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