Compressorstall,
Dr Reid said in the House that the current role of the British forces in Afghanistan (about 850 personnel) is to support the US-led counter-terrorism mission. The possible deployment later this year is not part of that mission.
As part of the NATO-led ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) mission under the British Op FINGAL, the British forces would be responsible for conducting the full spectrum of PSOs: peacemaking in Helmland, peace enforcement elsewhere, and peacekeeping where necessary. Although the insurgency in Afghanistan is somewhat smaller than that in Iraq, Op FINGAL may become complicated by the attempts to rid Afghanistan of opium poppies as a primary industry. Given the amount of money lavished on local warlords by drugs barons, it is unlikely that they will give up without a fight. Helmland is the home of some of the most ruthless warlords and has been difficult to police adequately; hence the possible commitment of a large force of highly mobile forces to the area.
At the moment, Dr Reid will not cofirm the commitment of British troops to the mission, although Britain takes over the command of the NATO Rapid Reaction Force (NRF) from France in June. Many parts of HM Forces are already committed to NRF due to French shortfalls anyway. The reason Reid is reticent to confirm the details is that other NATO contingent forces have pulled away from the mission, considering it too risky. The next force outside Britain to make an announcement should be Holland, after extensive consultation in Parliament, some time next week.
It must be emphasised, lest anyone think that this is Britain supporting American aggression, that this is a NATO mission under NATO command, born under Article V (collective defence) after al-Qaeda's attacks on the USA.
All open source stuff.