Liam Fox as reported on Conservativehome

http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2010/06/liam-fox-reaffirms-why-british-troops-remain-in-afghanistan-and-explains-that-their-return-is-depend.html#comments

Liam Fox reaffirms why British troops remain in Afghanistan and explains that their return is dependent on national security needs

My Comments


Times' readers are equally vociferous; where is the commitment to evidence-based policy - for Afghanistan and for Trident renewal?

Is LF past his sell-by date?

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
- George Santayana; 1905

Evidence for policy making:-
1. There is no effective central government in Afghanistan. This has not changed since Churchill's analysis of 1897!
2. The Kazai regime is corrupt.
3. Opium production continues unabated.

Conclusions:-
1. Deal with local tribal leaders; motivate them to deal with 'insurgents' whom they can identify far more readily than can 'coalition' [LibDemCon?] forces.
2. Disrupt the Taliban supply chain; Control opium production; by buying it at source and/or destroying it.
3. Invest in development not pay for war.

PS Why are we sending our men out on patrol to be targets for snipers and IEDs without an accompanying group of ANA soldiers?