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Brown warns Karzai over corruption
7 Nov 2009- No movement in independence talks
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Gordon Brown has warned Afghanistan's re-elected president that he will "forfeit the right to international support" if he fails to root out corruption.
The Prime Minister also told President Hamid Karzai a home-grown army must be built to take over responsibility for security in his country.
Mr Brown made clear that he was not threatening to pull Britain's 9,000-strong military force out of Afghanistan, insisting: "We cannot, must not and will not walk away."
But it is thought Mr Karzai faces the threat of withdrawal of international backing for him personally and for his administration if he fails to deliver on five key tests set out by Mr Brown, relating to governance, security, reconciliation, economic development and relations with neighbouring Pakistan.
Defending Britain's mission in Afghanistan, Mr Brown warned that al Qaida was still training and plotting attacks from the region and UK troops were "our first line of defence" against terror attacks at home.
And in a message to allies in the 43-nation Isaf coalition not to waver in their commitment, he said: "We must persist together. In our different ways we must all contribute. In the end, we will succeed or fail together - and we will succeed."
The Prime Minister's warning came in a speech to military top brass in London at the end of a bloody week for British troops, with seven dead including five servicemen murdered by a "rogue" Afghan policeman.
The mother of one of the dead men, Warrant Officer Class 1 Darren Chant, called for British troops to be brought home. Elizabeth Chant said her son loved the Army, but added: "Darren wouldn't have me say anything bad, but I do think that those boys should come home now because there's too many being killed."
The Prime Minister also came under pressure from former military chiefs in the House of Lords, who called for "clear direction" and warned that British and US indecision would harm the war effort. Ex-chief of defence staff General Lord Guthrie accused Mr Brown of "dithering" over his promise to deploy 500 extra troops and told peers: "The people in the frontline are questioning whether the Government is really, really committed to making progress in Afghanistan."
Meanwhile, a British soldier killed in southern Afghanistan on Thursday was named by the Ministry of Defence as Serjeant Phillip Scott, 30, of The 3rd Battalion The Rifles. He leaves behind his widow, Ellen, and children Ellie, three, and Michael, one.
Reader views (3)
Exactly what sort of deal was struck between Dubya and Bliar when this first kicked off ? It's embarrassing listening to this almost daily piffle from the blundering oaf who inhabits No.10 these days but in the meantime our boys and girls are getting killed in increasing numbers on a daily basis, even by 'people' who they are mentoring now ! STOP THIS FOOL'S ERRAND AND BRING THEM ALL HOME NOW !
- Andy Woodhead, London, ENGLAND, 06/11/2009 12:27
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Gormless Brown is spouting more spin and waffle.
The Home Office cannot locate 40,000 illegal immigrants in the UK.
There are already more so-called "terrorists" in the UK than we know about.
Charity begins at home, not in some forlorn foreign outpost, where the UK does not have a cat-in-hells chance of winning anything.
- Reuben Camara, Plot 1, Morecambe Compound, EUSSR, 06/11/2009 11:18
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Frank Gardener on the BBC has contradicted Brown`s statement that three quarters of the attacks on the UK originated form Afghanistan. Gardener said that since 911 all the attacks on Britian originated from Pakistan. Brown spins and spins for his own ends. Time to get out. Enough is enough.
- Brian G, Norfolk Gorleston, 06/11/2009 10:19
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