mr president soldiers from the united kingdom and many other european nations are fighting and dying in afghanistan
we are told that the reasons are to keep our country safe by preventing the return of al-qaeda or to protect democracy or to fight drugs or to support pakistan or to uphold the rights of women
but i am no longer convinced by any of these explanations
there is no clear political strategy and i do not know what the death of our soldiers is supposed to achieve
far from bringing us security i fear our presence is increasing the dangers allowing us to be portrayed by islamist extremists as foreign invaders supporting a government of warlords and drug barons in a civil war
our actions foster the growth of radical anti-western islamic beliefs
we need a diplomatic strategy we must talk with the taliban we must promote reconciliation and seek to broaden the composition of the current government and we must be prepared to withdraw our soldiers from afghan soil
