Yet more bloodshed in Afghanistan: an American soldier and seven Afghan civilians killed in a suicide bombing in the east of the country, two Royal Marines lost in a vehicle bombing in southern Helmand province. It seems that the two extra brigades President-elect Barack Obama is pledged to send – around 7,000 troops, bringing the total US contingent close to 40,000  – cannot arrive too soon. General David Petraeus, the new chief of US Central Command, is said to want a “surge” of 15,000 to 20,000 extra troops for Afghanistan.

Inevitably, the call has gone out for other Nato countries to send more troops as well. But if past experience is any guide, it will go unheeded: other countries might even seize the chance to reduce their own commitment.

A close adviser to Obama reacted indignantly when I put this suggestion to him, replying: “I find it hard to believe that our allies would take it upon themselves unilaterally to undermine our new President, who is probably the most popular person in the world.”
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