British PM in Afghanistan, eyes troop pullout next year

British Prime Minister David Cameron, visiting Afghanistan on an unannounced trip, said troops could start withdrawing from the country as early as next year.

Cameron, who arrived on Monday, shrugged off US and Afghan criticism of the troops' performance, saying it no longer held true. British troops deployed in the Taliban stronghold of Helmand were "not up" to the task of securing the province, US diplomats said in cables released by WikiLeaks last week. (Reuters)