And now it may head to Afghanistan, but maybe not until early next year.

NPR: How Many U.S. Troops Needed In Iraq, Afghanistan?

He knows he probably has only one go at this and, certainly until now, most serious Tories have accepted that his job was to slash the Labour majority, maybe even land Tony Blair with a dangerously slim lead in the Commons.

BBC: NEWS | UK | Politics | Howard's 100 day anniversary hope