Brits stretched thin?

Times of London:

The Armed Forces are operating with at least 5,000 fewer men and women than are needed to meet Britain’s defence committments around the world, the goverment spending watchdog says today.

The highly critical report from the National Audit Office reveals that the Services have been operating beyond planned levels of defence for the past five years to keep troops in Iraq and Afganistan. It also shows that disillusionment among servicemen and women has increased to such an extent that 10,000 personnel are quitting the Forces each year.