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Miliband: we don't want to turn Afghanistan into colony
29 Jul 2009Foreign Secretary David Miliband failed to rule out the need for additional troops in Afghanistan as he discussed the need for a joint military and political strategy to defeat the Taliban today.
In an interview for PBS's Newshour during a two-day visit to the US, Mr Miliband said that there was no long-term military "solution" on its own, adding that coalition forces were not looking to turn the country into a "colony".
Asked if this meant that a reported American request for Britain to send more soldiers to Afghanistan was unlikely to be met, the foreign secretary said additional numbers would "depend on the situation on the ground and burden sharing among the allies".
The comments come towards the end of the bloodiest month for British forces in Afghanistan since the mission began in October 2001. To date, 22 soldiers have died in July including the highest-ranking Army officer to be killed in battle since the Falklands.
Earlier this year it was reported that US Army officials including General David Petraeus, who oversees operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, were pressing the UK government to deploy 2,000 more troops in Afghanistan.
In his interview for PBS, Mr Miliband said that he had only seen that figure "in newspapers not Cabinet papers".
He added that British numbers in the country had already risen from around 3,000 to 9,000.
Asked if this was set to increase further, the foreign secretary said: "That depends on the situation on the ground and the burden sharing among the allies.
"This is a 42-country effort and it is important that all countries play their appropriate part."
He added: "Britain has increased its numbers. We are guided by the situation on the ground, the assets we have at our disposal, and the fair sharing of the burden."
Mr Miliband stressed that military actions alone were not sufficient to beat the Taliban in Afghanistan.
He said: "We all know that in the end there is no long-term military 'solution'."
The foreign secretary added that there was a need to create the space for sustainable home-grown politics and sustainable governments.
"We are not trying to create a colony in Afghanistan," he said.
Mr Miliband added that a political strategy would have to work on three fronts.
He said it would have to engage the Afghan population whose "tacit support" gave cover for the insurgency. Mr Miliband also reiterated earlier calls to appeal to people fighting for the Taliban not out of ideology but because they were rented militiamen or fighting out of fear for there lives.
A third front for the political strategy needed to focus on helping stabilise the region, especially neighbouring Pakistan.
Faced with evidence of a decline of popular support at home for the ongoing military involvement in Afghanistan, Mr Miliband said the mission was in "Britain's national security interest".
Later today, Mr Miliband will meet US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to discuss a number of issues including Afghanistan and Middle East security.
Reader views (3)
Yes but he and the rest of the wretched Labour party are in favour of our country being colonised. Alan Johnson wants another 10,000,000 to dilute the Anglo-Saxon and Celtic populations. We just seem to attract the scumbags of the world to this country.
- Richard, Nottingham, 29/07/2009 09:39
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Cap is right - we are being colonised. Anyone who doesn't believe me should tour the east end of London.
- Ab, London, 29/07/2009 09:08
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Maybe we don't want to colonise Afghanistan, but it looks like Afghanistan has colonised the UK, judging by the number over here.
What are they doing over here ?
- Cap, London, 29/07/2009 08:17
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