There were two noteworthy admissions from an avowed supporter of the EU. First, Britain could survive the process of withdrawal.

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Instead, the process of withdrawal stopped.

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Britain is in the process of a withdrawal from Iraq that has all the hallmarks of retreat, and its long-term commitment in Afghanistan may be coming into question.

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"As a part of the withdrawal process we have achieved an agreement with the U.S. government, " he said.

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Monday's announcement of the much larger withdrawal is thus the continuation of a process already begun (though it is not known where the rest of the 12, 500 will go).

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At the same time, opponents of appeasement - those who had warned of the dangers of the Oslo process and had spoken out against the withdrawal from Lebanon and a potential withdrawal from the Golan Heights and Gaza - were not congratulated for their wisdom.

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We have had a good meeting today in which Afghanistan reaffirmed its commitment to the transition process and to the completion of it in 2013, and the completion of withdrawal of our partners in 2014, so that Afghanistan is no longer a burden on the shoulder of our friends in the international community, on the shoulders of the United States and our other allies.

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But the withdrawal of these nominees raises serious concerns about the administration's vetting process for the people its placing in top advisory roles.

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And it was strange that there was no place for the ban on genetically-modified contents in Asda's own-brand products, the government's announcement of right-to-roam legislation and withdrawal of soyabean oil breast-implants, or the extension for the Northern Ireland peace process.

BBC: By BBC News Online's Giles Wilson