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CNN Live At Daybreak

British Ground Troops to Deploy to Afghanistan

Aired October 26, 2001 - 06:29   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We are just getting some late word this morning out of -- out of London. Just moments ago, the minister of Britain's armed forces went before Parliament's House of Commons to announce that British ground troops are going to be deployed to go in and back up U.S. forces on the ground in Afghanistan. Minister Adam Ingram says that Britain does not enter the ground conflict end lightly.

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ADAM INGRAM, BRITISH ARMED FORCES MINISTER: We have therefore decided to create a large and rebalanced force in the region. It is a concrete demonstration of our resolve to see the campaign against international terrorism through to the end. We have said we are in this for the long haul and we mean it. The force has therefore been designed to ensure that we are well placed to deal with a wide range of contingencies, and to maintain operational flexibility for as long as necessary.

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HARRIS: Ingram says that 200 Royal Marine commandos are going to be deployed aboard the HMS Fearless. And he says another 400 are going to be returning to Britain from Oman, but they'll be held in readiness just in case they are needed to return. There are some 25,000 troops -- British troops, I should say, standing by right now in Oman.

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