Britain to send 1,400 extra troops to Afghanistan, defense secretary says

Britain's Defense Secretary Des Browne said Monday he will deploy 1,400 extra troops to Afghanistan to tackle a threatened Taliban spring offensive, days after Tony Blair announced a major withdrawal from Iraq.

Browne's announcement will bring the total troop level in Afghanistan to around 7,700 until 2009, meaning Britain will have more forces based there than in Iraq for the first time since 2003. Blair said Wednesday that Britain would soon reduce numbers in Iraq to 5,500, reports AP.