Ex-NATO commander who predicted 40-year mission in Afghanistan becomes British army chief

LONDON (AP) — A senior military commander who predicted Britain's mission in Afghanistan could last up to 40 years was formally appointed Friday as the head of the country's army.

Gen. David Richards, a former commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, becomes Chief of the General Staff and succeeds Gen. Richard Dannatt, who was appointed in 2006 and frequently clashed with lawmakers over defense spending.

Richards, who was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1971, is regarded as politically savvy after building close relationships with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his ministers while leading NATO troops.

Dannatt frequently criticized delays in providing additional helicopters for British forces, and pressed the government to spend more money on improving other equipment.

He said previously that expected cuts to Britain's 34 billion pounds ($55 billion) annual defense budget would "not be welcome" among military leaders, and could have a negative impact on operations in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

Dannatt, who has been appointed Constable of the Tower of London — a ceremonial role dating back to the 11th century — also said Britain may need to increase its troop levels in Afghanistan — despite the government's reluctance to do so.

Britain has about 9,000 troops in Afghanistan, the largest international force after the U.S., and most are based in the southern province of Helmand. The U.K. has withdrawn its soldiers from Iraq, after their six-year mission there ended May 31.

Richards will be heavily involved in a major review of British defense funding, which is expected to take place after the next national election — which must be held by June 2010.

"I will continue to focus on what is needed to meet the government's aims in Afghanistan and the region, and ensuring the army achieves the tasks laid upon it," Richards said in a statement Friday. "The army's most valuable assets are its people — it is essential that we continue to look after our soldiers and their families, especially those injured or affected adversely through conflict."

Richards said that a longer term objective will be to prepare the army to deal with modern and future conflicts, but did not specify whether he meant by providing troops with more protection against roadside bombs and insurgent ambushes.

A total of 207 British troops have died in Afghanistan since 2001, including dozens killed during a surge in insurgent attacks over recent months.

As NATO commander, Richards was a prominent backer of a controversial peace plan in the southern Afghan town of Musa Qala under which NATO, Afghan and Taliban soldiers were not allowed in the town. The deal collapsed when Taliban fighters overran the area, though foreign and Afghan troops later waged a fierce battle to recapture Musa Qala.

Richards also has commanded British troops during operations in East Timor and Sierra Leone.

In a newspaper interview earlier this month, the new army chief said that he expects British troops to remain in Afghanistan for many years, and that the international community will have a role in the region for several decades.

"I believe that the U.K. will be committed to Afghanistan in some manner — development, governance, security sector reform — for the next 30 to 40 years," Richards was quoted as telling The Times of London.