Cameron sheds light on Afghan doctrine
Source: Agencies |
June 12, 2010, Saturday
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Print Edition
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BRITISH Prime Minister David Cameron told troops yesterday they were not in Afghanistan for a "dreamy idea" or to build a model society, and pledged they would leave once Afghans could defend themselves.
On his first trip as prime minister to meet British troops in southern Afghanistan, Cameron said the new coalition he heads had a clear mission -- defending Britain's national security from the threat of attack by al-Qaida.
Cameron's doctrine showed a new hard-headed approach to the war in Afghanistan and marked an abandoning of previous goals such as democracy-building and ensuring girls received an education.
He pledged to give the 9,500 British troops serving in Afghanistan, who have taken part in some of the fiercest fighting against Taliban insurgents, the equipment they needed.
Cameron, who formed a coalition of center-right Conservatives and center-left Liberals after the May 6 election, said the operational allowance soldiers receive while on active service in Afghanistan would be doubled.
The moves addressed the main criticisms Cameron had of the previous Labour government -- that it had failed to give British soldiers the right equipment to protect them from deadly roadside bombs and had failed to explain clearly to British people why the troops needed to be in Afghanistan.
"We are not here to build the perfect democracy. We are not here to build some perfect model society. We are here to help the Afghans take control of their security so we can go home," Cameron told about 400 British troops gathered on a dusty, sandstorm-swept parade ground at the Camp Bastion base in the south.
"I can sum up this mission in two words: It is about national security, our national security in the UK ... We don't have some dreamy ideas about what this mission is about," Cameron said.
Britain has the second-largest foreign contingent in Afghanistan, still small compared to the 100,000 US troops, but support for the mission is waning at home.
The costs of the Afghan mission are straining Britain's defense budget at a time when the new government has to find ways to cut a gaping budget deficit.
On his first trip as prime minister to meet British troops in southern Afghanistan, Cameron said the new coalition he heads had a clear mission -- defending Britain's national security from the threat of attack by al-Qaida.
Cameron's doctrine showed a new hard-headed approach to the war in Afghanistan and marked an abandoning of previous goals such as democracy-building and ensuring girls received an education.
He pledged to give the 9,500 British troops serving in Afghanistan, who have taken part in some of the fiercest fighting against Taliban insurgents, the equipment they needed.
Cameron, who formed a coalition of center-right Conservatives and center-left Liberals after the May 6 election, said the operational allowance soldiers receive while on active service in Afghanistan would be doubled.
The moves addressed the main criticisms Cameron had of the previous Labour government -- that it had failed to give British soldiers the right equipment to protect them from deadly roadside bombs and had failed to explain clearly to British people why the troops needed to be in Afghanistan.
"We are not here to build the perfect democracy. We are not here to build some perfect model society. We are here to help the Afghans take control of their security so we can go home," Cameron told about 400 British troops gathered on a dusty, sandstorm-swept parade ground at the Camp Bastion base in the south.
"I can sum up this mission in two words: It is about national security, our national security in the UK ... We don't have some dreamy ideas about what this mission is about," Cameron said.
Britain has the second-largest foreign contingent in Afghanistan, still small compared to the 100,000 US troops, but support for the mission is waning at home.
The costs of the Afghan mission are straining Britain's defense budget at a time when the new government has to find ways to cut a gaping budget deficit.
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