Baron Paddy Ashdown, who was once a top candidate to take over the UN effort in Afghanistan, has issued a statement today declaring the 11-year-war a “failure” and insisting that it was time for Britain to withdraw immediately.
Lord Ashdown said most of the war’s goals were not only not achieved, but not achievable, and that “we cannot pretend there is any more to do in Afghanistan. The urgent priority is to get out.”
A long-time leader of the coalition Liberal Democrats, Lord Ashdown remains quite influential in British politics, especially in foreign policy. Though Britain is nominally planning to withdraw troops by the end of 2014, officials have hinted they are open to staying in some fashion beyond that date.
Lord Ashdown’s comments come just a month after Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne made similar statements during a cabinet meeting, saying there was no good reason to keep troops through 2014 and that they need an immediate withdrawal.
Once again demonstrating how dangerous it is to be so dependant on the Americans to protect you that you have to commit to disastrous and futlie nation building/colonizing attempts because you are afraid to tell Washington no.
It is really important that Britain and Europe develop an independent defense policy that will allow them to stop giving up their sovereignty just to do America's bidding.
Yes bring the boys back home so we can send them to Middle East, Syria, Lebanon, and even Iran, you know, there is a bigger war with more death and destruction waiting all of us, where we English and our Neo Liberal fascism allies (governments) all over Europe can get involved you know…,
There is no Afghan war as such; it would be more accurate to speak of a colonial aggression by NATO, with US in the lead and UK as the errand-boy, against the people in Afghanistan.