White House 'did not trust' Brown who 'lacked influence' in the U.S.

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 7:08 AM on 1st December 2010

Gordon Brown falsely told President Obama that Britain could not commit extra troops to Afghanistan, WikiLeaks revealed last night.

But U.S. diplomats made their own investigations and discovered up to 2,000 troops would have been available as relations with the UK government became strained.

American attempts to go behind Downing Street's back and check what they were being told suggest the Obama administration did not trust Mr Brown.

Special relationship: Cables suggest relations between Gordon Brown's government and Obama's administration were strained

The Prime Minister's influence in Washington was so limited that an attempt to 'do a deal' over the Gary McKinnon case was rejected out of hand.

The memo sent to Hillary Clinton six days before she was due to visit London, said Gordon Brown would claim Britain could not send extra troops to Afghanistan.

However, it was not true and the resources were available.

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Two months after the cable was sent an extra 500 servicemen and women were sent to Afghanistan in December last year.

In a further embarrassment, the government was caught out by the U.S. claiming that additional funds had been sent to promote democracy in Pakistan - but in reality there was no extra money.

U.S. ambassador Louis Susman warned that the Prime Minister was a ditherer who would attempt to use her visit to bolster his general election campaign.

No love lost: Mr Brown greets Hillary Clinton during her visit to England in October 2009

No love lost: Mr Brown greets Hillary Clinton during her visit in October 2009

In his dispatch, he reported that Mr Brown had told Mr Obama on September 25 last year that Britain 'lacks the capacity to commit additional troops'.

Despite then foreign secretary David Miliband repeating the claims, Washington went behind the government's back and found that it was not true.

The report added: 'However, UK military officials claim 1,000 - 2,000 are available for deployment.'.
Simon McDonald, foreign policy adviser to Number 10, warned the U.S. they had to bear in mind 'the political pressure that the PM is under.'

It is thought that Brown was reluctant to send any more troops out to Afghanistan because he was worried about the political fallout eight months before the general election.

The secret memo, sent in October 2009, also warned that Labour may use her visit to draw out a dividing line with the Conservatives.

'Prime Minister Brown and Foreign Secretary Miliband may ask the Secretary to emphasise U.S. support for a "strong Europe" as a way to highlight Conservative schism,' The Times said Mr Susman wrote.

The memo revealed the government's claim to have provided an extra £50 million to promote democracy in Pakistan actually came from an existing grant.

The cable added: 'Following the Friends of Pakistan meeting on September 25, the UK announced it will provide an extra £50 million to improve infrastructure and security in Pakistan's border areas.

'However, UK officials later confirmed that these are not new funds and will instead come from the current £655 million already designated for Pakistan aid.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1334589/WIKILEAKS-White-House-did-trust-Brown-lacked-influence-U-S.html#ixzz16qhCqg8x

http://www.gerrymccannsblogs.co.uk/PJ/KATERINA-PAYNE-INCIDENT.htm

The McCanns refused to hand over Madeleines medical records...with the releasing of the news that JonBenet was an abused child we have to now ask was Madeleine McCann an abused child and if she was why is the might of the British Goverment covering it up ?