John Baron MP presses Defence Secretary over ethnic imbalance risk to Afghan handover in 2014

20th December 2011
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MP highlights Afghan Security Force’s non-Pashtun makeup

 During Defence Questions in the House of Commons, John Baron MP questioned the Secretary of State for Defence about the ethnic imbalance of the Afghan Security Forces. This is deemed to be a potential risk to a successful handover in 2014. John opposed our initial involvement in Afghanistan.

 John said:

 “The Secretary of State is aware of the significance when it comes to the chances of a successful handover that only around 3% of the Afghan Security Forces are from the Pashtun South. What progress is being made to address this imbalance of ethnicities before our troops withdraw in 2014?”

 The Rt. Hon. Philip Hammond MP, Secretary of State for Defence agreed this remains one of the important issues to be addressed if a stable and sustainable Afghan Government is to be created.

 John said afterwards:

 “Afghanistan is a complex mix of ethnicities and tribes. The vast majority of the Afghan Security Forces is made up of non-Pashtuns – mostly Tajiks and Uzbeks. These are as much foreigners to Helmand and the Pashtun South as are British and American troops. The inability to address this ethnic imbalance is yet another reason why our policy in Afghanistan is failing.”

 Ends

Word Count: 219

Date: 20th December 2011

 Notes to Editors

  • John is a member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee
  • John was the only Conservative MP to vote against our continued policy in Afghanistan when the matter was first voted on in October 2010.

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