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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Minister defends Afghan strategy | Minister defends Afghan strategy |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Armed Forces Minister Bill Rammell has defended the government's strategy in Afghanistan following criticism by MPs. | Armed Forces Minister Bill Rammell has defended the government's strategy in Afghanistan following criticism by MPs. |
| The House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee said the military mission had failed to deliver on its promises as troops had too many tasks. | The House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee said the military mission had failed to deliver on its promises as troops had too many tasks. |
| Mr Rammell told the BBC the UK had a "co-ordinated and comprehensive" strategy in Afghanistan. | Mr Rammell told the BBC the UK had a "co-ordinated and comprehensive" strategy in Afghanistan. |
| But shadow defence secretary Liam Fox argued there was no co-ordinated strategy in Afghanistan. | But shadow defence secretary Liam Fox argued there was no co-ordinated strategy in Afghanistan. |
| 'Making progress' | 'Making progress' |
| The committee of MPs said that "mission creep" had brought too many responsibilities, including fighting the drugs trade. | The committee of MPs said that "mission creep" had brought too many responsibilities, including fighting the drugs trade. |
| It said the UK's deployment to Afghanistan's Helmand province was "undermined by unrealistic planning at senior levels, poor co-ordination between Whitehall departments and crucially a failure to provide the military with clear direction". | It said the UK's deployment to Afghanistan's Helmand province was "undermined by unrealistic planning at senior levels, poor co-ordination between Whitehall departments and crucially a failure to provide the military with clear direction". |
| Britain's objectives in Afghanistan should be realistic, tightly-defined and subject to regular formal assessment William Hague Shadow foreign secretary UK troops 'given too many tasks' Findings of MPs' Afghanistan report | Britain's objectives in Afghanistan should be realistic, tightly-defined and subject to regular formal assessment William Hague Shadow foreign secretary UK troops 'given too many tasks' Findings of MPs' Afghanistan report |
| MPs also said UK troops should abandon their attempts to tackle the drugs trade and focus instead solely on security. | MPs also said UK troops should abandon their attempts to tackle the drugs trade and focus instead solely on security. |
| But Mr Rammell insisted there was already clarity of purpose in Afghanistan. | But Mr Rammell insisted there was already clarity of purpose in Afghanistan. |
| He told BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend: "The scale of the challenge from the insurgents in Helmand province is greater than we'd anticipated, and we are responding to that. | He told BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend: "The scale of the challenge from the insurgents in Helmand province is greater than we'd anticipated, and we are responding to that. |
| "But nevertheless we are making progress, there is a co-ordinated, comprehensive strategy, it is about making Britons safer, it's about working as part of an international coalition. | "But nevertheless we are making progress, there is a co-ordinated, comprehensive strategy, it is about making Britons safer, it's about working as part of an international coalition. |
| "This isn't just the responsibility of this country or the UK government." | "This isn't just the responsibility of this country or the UK government." |
| 'Pulling weight' | 'Pulling weight' |
| British forces experienced their bloodiest month in Afghanistan during July, with 22 troops killed during a major offensive against insurgents in Helmand. | British forces experienced their bloodiest month in Afghanistan during July, with 22 troops killed during a major offensive against insurgents in Helmand. |
| The report warns the security situation, particularly in the south, could be expected to remain "precarious for some time to come". | The report warns the security situation, particularly in the south, could be expected to remain "precarious for some time to come". |
| The committee said government claims the Afghan drugs trade was a justification for the continued presence of British troops in Helmand were "debatable." | The committee said government claims the Afghan drugs trade was a justification for the continued presence of British troops in Helmand were "debatable." |
| Its chairman Labour MP Mike Gapes said: "This issue of counter-narcotics, the heroin poppies, is a serious problem but it is not the main issue that we face in Afghanistan. | Its chairman Labour MP Mike Gapes said: "This issue of counter-narcotics, the heroin poppies, is a serious problem but it is not the main issue that we face in Afghanistan. |
| "The main issue is the security and the threat coming from, once again, becoming a terrorist base." | "The main issue is the security and the threat coming from, once again, becoming a terrorist base." |
| He later told BBC Radio 5 Live some countries were not "pulling their weight" in the international coalition, highlighting how some had sent "handfuls" of troops or none while others had sent thousands. | He later told BBC Radio 5 Live some countries were not "pulling their weight" in the international coalition, highlighting how some had sent "handfuls" of troops or none while others had sent thousands. |
| Responding to the report, Mr Fox said: "The danger is that the military take a space and they hold it, but nothing comes in behind and therefore eventually the Taliban get another foothold." | |
| Earlier shadow foreign secretary William Hague said: "It confirms what we have been saying for months - Britain's objectives in Afghanistan should be realistic, tightly-defined and subject to regular formal assessment." | Earlier shadow foreign secretary William Hague said: "It confirms what we have been saying for months - Britain's objectives in Afghanistan should be realistic, tightly-defined and subject to regular formal assessment." |
| One member of the MPs' committee, former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell, said the government had failed to set out the precise terms of the mission. | One member of the MPs' committee, former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell, said the government had failed to set out the precise terms of the mission. |
| "We've been drawn into things like counter-narcotics strategy, nation building - and that, we believe, has dissipated our effort," he said. | "We've been drawn into things like counter-narcotics strategy, nation building - and that, we believe, has dissipated our effort," he said. |