AT a time when public support for the war in Afghanistan is dwindling, and concerns are mounting over how well our Armed Forces are equipped, it is a bold move by Gordon Brown to announce that more British troops will be sent into battle.

The death toll will inevitably continue to mount and the political pressure to bring our troops home as soon as possible will intensify.

There will be many who take the view, in the light of those pressures, that sending more of our troops to the war zone is the wrong strategy.

But we believe that speeding up the end game depends on reinforcing the international effort to stabilise Afghanistan and stifle terrorist links.

However, conditions must be applied.

If we are to send more soldiers to fight the Taliban, they must be properly equipped. If the Government cannot be sure that adequate protection will be given, then the decision should be reversed.

Britain’s additional commitment must also be matched by its Nato partners.

The UK already has 9,000 soldiers in Afghanistan – the second largest contingent after the US – and more international support is required if the challenge is to be met.

The pressing objective is to get our troops home swiftly and, in the meantime, Gordon Brown must clarify what precisely we are aiming to achieve in Afghanistan.

Is it to establish a fully-fledged democracy like our own which will take a decade or more at best?

Or, more realistically, is it to build a state that is stable enough to sustain itself and thwart the threat of terrorism?

It is time for realism in Afghanistan – and as speedy an exit as possible.