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A harder-headed strategy is required in Afghanistan, according to shadow defence secretary Liam Fox, along with more help from European countries such as Germany, Spain and Italy.
Mr Fox returned two weeks ago from Kabul where he met the new US commander, General Stanley McChrystal. Mr Fox told the Standard: "We have to have realistic expectations rather than vague ideas of lofty nobility about what we would like to see in Afghanistan, it is about what we can do in a hard-headed, pragmatic way."
Mr Fox says a Conservative government would commit 2,000 troops to train the Afghanistan army, a request he claims was denied by Gordon Brown.
"If Gordon Brown has turned down the request for troops, specifically for training, that is likely to increase the time that the international coalition has to be there," he said.
"There is a window for us to get out of what has been something of a mess on coordinated strategy, but it isn't going to be a window that stays open long."
Mr Fox describes as "confused" and divergent" aims in Afghanistan between the more idealistic UN, the security-focused Americans and the separate agenda of the EU.
He is scathing about the contribution of some of the European coalition countries. "There is a lot of resentment that our European partners are not doing more and spending more. While we and the Canadians have been under such strain, with the exception of the Dutch and the Danes too many of our European allies have not stepped up to the plate and there will be strains within Nato if we don't get a great commitment.
"France has started to increase its activity but it would be surprising if President Obama did not expect more from Germany, Spain and Italy."
Mr Fox says that he is impressed that Mr Obama has "given freedom to commanders on the ground, where it might have been tempting for him to make populist noises".
Gen McChrystal's report is expected to call for more troops. Mr Fox says his concern is for the mission of those troops. Is he looking for more troops to clear space and hold it or to accelerate the training process?
He wants accelerated training and a more militarised police force, in the manner of the Italian Carabinieri - more appropriate than " bobbies on the beat". "We have to find institutions that fit with Afghanistan's history and culture. Human rights are important, but they are not the primary reason that we are there."
Reader views (1)
Well what do you expect from the corruption ridden democratically deficient fascist eu. to them the UK is only a cash cow to be milked until dead. They don't care about what people think, and the other countries appear to be better at ignoring the edicts from he unelected commission that the UK is.
When the constitution is imposed on us we won't have a foreign policy at all, some unelected foreigner will be making decisions for us.
- Barry Davies, Stafford, 14/08/2009 14:22
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