UK brass hat – ‘No’ to direct troop move from Iraq to A-stan

Sir Jock Stirrup, the chief of the British defense staff, says British troops need a reduction in operation tempo — ASAP — and should therefore not be moved directly from Iraq to Afghanistan.

“I have said for a very long time that the British armed forces are stretched. We are doing more than we are structured and resourced to do in the long term. We can do it for a short period, but we can't continue doing it ad infinitum.”

President-elect Obama? Defense Secretary (to be held over?) Gates? Are you listening?

Stirrup (would have been a great name for a cavalry general a century ago) said other NATO countries need to get more involved in Afghanistan, too.