David Cameron MP, visits British troops in Afghanistan

Photograph: The leader of the opposition party, David Cameron MP, visits British troops in Afghanistan.Digital photograph taken by Cpl Mike Fletcher, Royal Logistic Corps, Helmand Task Force Photographer, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, 25 July 2006. From a CD of 309 images.David Cameron and the shadow Defence Secretary, Liam Fox MP, visited troops in Helmand Province. The MPs were on a fact finding mission and came to visit British Commanders, Governmental Agencies and troops currently serving in the province. During their visit the MPs visited troops at the British base in Lashkar Gah, the provincial town of Helmand. Lashkar Gah is home to the Provincial Reconstruction Team, an organisation made up of military and governmental agencies. It is their mission to provide a secure and safe environment in Helmand Province as well as assisting the Afghan government and local authorities build a strong government and create jobs. David Cameron and Liam Fox met with the British Forces Commander in Afghanistan, Brigadier Ed Butler and Commander Helmand Task Force, Colonel Charlie Knaggs, before meeting troops from the Provincial Reconstruction Team Operations Company. Later they were then shown around British military vehicles which included a Snatch Landrover and a Weapons Mount Installation Kit (WMIK) Land Rover. These vehicles are the primary means of transport for the Operations Company which daily carries out patrols in the Lashkar Gah area. These patrols can at times be in a 50 degree heat for 20 hours. The Operations Company also works very closely with the local Afghan National Army (ANA) and National Police (ANP), mentoring them on security matters and carrying out joint operations.This image was taken on Operation HERRICK IV, the UK's deployment into Helmand Province, Southern Afghanistan. Operation HERRICK IV has seen the development of the Helmand Task Force in the province, which has seen the cross Governmental Provincial Reconstruction Team set up in Lashkar Gah to help the Afghan Government build strong governmental institutions, security and create jobs. The Task Force was made up of 3, 300 troops from the British Military, with the majority being taken from 16 Air Assault Brigade

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