Afghanistan war "not keeping UK safe"

LONDON (Reuters) - The majority of Britons doubt whether the war in Afghanistan is keeping Britain safe from attack while nearly half said it was increasing the threat, according to a poll on Wednesday.

The GFK NOP poll in The Independent seemed to contradict Prime Minister Gordon Brown's justification for British troop involvement in the U.S.-led operation.

Last week, he repeated the need for the continued presence of 9,000 British troops, saying: "We cannot, must not and will not walk away."

"We have got to be there to make sure that we can prevent al Qaeda gaining power in Pakistan and Afghanistan," he told GMTV.

The poll showed 46 percent of those surveyed believed that the presence of British forces increased the threat of attacks in Britain by creating anger and resentment among the Muslim population.

A further 14 percent said their presence made no difference, while 21 percent said they decreased the threat.

The weekend poll of 1,000 people came days after an Afghan policeman killed five British soldiers at a checkpoint in Afghanistan, which the Taliban said was one of their own fighters who had infiltrated the force.

A total of 232 British soldiers have died in the conflict since 2001.

Brown has been fighting growing discontent over the war, both among the public and some former military figures who have criticised the levels of troop numbers, tactics and equipment, including suggestions that a lack of helicopters has put British soldiers at risk.