Today in the House of Commons during Prime Minister’s Questions, John Baron MP questioned the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, about the need for a more realistic assessment of the situation in Afghanistan.
John said:
“Successful counter-insurgency operations in the past, such as in Malaya, suggest that not one of the pre-conditions for success – control of the borders, high troop density levels, a credible Government and support from the majority of the people – exist in Afghanistan. Does this not beg for a more realistic assessment of the situation there?”
The Deputy Prime Minister responded by saying that a political as well as a military solution was needed for there to be a successful outcome.
John said afterwards:
“One of the many problems of our involvement in Afghanistan has been a series of over-optimistic assessments by Ministers which has done nobody any favours – particularly our troops on the ground.”
“ We need to wake up, smell the coffee and conduct negotiations now for all disputes like this end in a negotiated settlement of some sort – the only question being when.”
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