They are not dying to bring democracy to Afghanistan PaulB. That neoCon concept is not shared by Obama and was a non-starter. They are there to stabilise the Kabul (and Pakistani, come to that) Government and to deny the Taliban the ability to provide secure training grounds for terrorists. Better conducting the anti-terror war there than in the streets of London (or Dover).
Brown does ned to find some way to boost his morale, pity he has to damage that of the Armed Forces by going there. Cyclops, as the troops refer to him, is not exactly a very popular figure among the troops.
Two threads that demonstrate what they think of him. The language is rather fruitier than we use on this forum, be warned. The present visit is discussed on the second thread from towards the end of page 56...
http://www.arrse.co.uk/Forums/viewtopic/t=132070.html
http://www.arrse.co.uk/Forums/viewtopic/t=119903/postdays=0/postorder=asc/start=1100.html