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| UK 'may have 40-year Afghan role' | UK 'may have 40-year Afghan role' |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| The UK's commitment to Afghanistan could last for up to 40 years, the incoming head of the Army has said. | The UK's commitment to Afghanistan could last for up to 40 years, the incoming head of the Army has said. |
| Gen Sir David Richards, who takes over on 28 August, told the Times the Army's role would evolve, but the process of "nation-building" would last decades. | Gen Sir David Richards, who takes over on 28 August, told the Times the Army's role would evolve, but the process of "nation-building" would last decades. |
| Troops will be required for the medium term only, but the UK will continue to play a role in "development, governance [and] security sector reform," he said. | Troops will be required for the medium term only, but the UK will continue to play a role in "development, governance [and] security sector reform," he said. |
| "There is absolutely no chance of Nato pulling out," Gen Richards added. | "There is absolutely no chance of Nato pulling out," Gen Richards added. |
| Gen Richards commanded 35,000 troops from 37 nations when he was head of Nato's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan between May 2006 and February 2007. | Gen Richards commanded 35,000 troops from 37 nations when he was head of Nato's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan between May 2006 and February 2007. |
| He will take over from Gen Sir Richard Dannatt as the UK's chief of the general staff. | He will take over from Gen Sir Richard Dannatt as the UK's chief of the general staff. |
| 'Campaign winnable' | 'Campaign winnable' |
| Gen Richards' comments come a day after it emerged that three servicemen, from the Parachute Regiment, had been killed north of Lashkar Gah, in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, on Thursday afternoon. | Gen Richards' comments come a day after it emerged that three servicemen, from the Parachute Regiment, had been killed north of Lashkar Gah, in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, on Thursday afternoon. |
| Their deaths - in an attack on a Jackal armoured vehicle which left a colleague critically injured - take to 195 the number of British troops killed in Afghanistan since 2001. | Their deaths - in an attack on a Jackal armoured vehicle which left a colleague critically injured - take to 195 the number of British troops killed in Afghanistan since 2001. |
| The Army has suffered its heaviest losses of the entire campaign in recent weeks, but its soon-to-be chief said he strongly believed the campaign was "winnable". | The Army has suffered its heaviest losses of the entire campaign in recent weeks, but its soon-to-be chief said he strongly believed the campaign was "winnable". |
| "Demanding, certainly, but winnable," he said. | "Demanding, certainly, but winnable," he said. |
| It is not just reconstruction; jobs and simple governance that works are key Gen Sir David Richards Profile: Gen Sir David Richards | It is not just reconstruction; jobs and simple governance that works are key Gen Sir David Richards Profile: Gen Sir David Richards |
| He added: "The end will be difficult to define; it won't be neat and clear-cut like the end of some old-fashioned inter-state war might have been." | He added: "The end will be difficult to define; it won't be neat and clear-cut like the end of some old-fashioned inter-state war might have been." |
| He said it would take "a long time and considerable investment", adding: "We must remember, though, that we are not trying to turn Afghanistan into Switzerland." | He said it would take "a long time and considerable investment", adding: "We must remember, though, that we are not trying to turn Afghanistan into Switzerland." |
| Gen Richards said great efforts must be made to expand the Afghan National Army and build up the police force - only then could the UK's military role "decline". | Gen Richards said great efforts must be made to expand the Afghan National Army and build up the police force - only then could the UK's military role "decline". |
| Equipment | |
| "I believe that the UK will be committed to Afghanistan in some manner - development, governance, security sector reform - for the next 30 to 40 years," he said. | "I believe that the UK will be committed to Afghanistan in some manner - development, governance, security sector reform - for the next 30 to 40 years," he said. |
| "It is not just reconstruction; jobs and simple governance that works are key, and there has to be a strong reconciliation element to the latter." | "It is not just reconstruction; jobs and simple governance that works are key, and there has to be a strong reconciliation element to the latter." |
| Gen Dannatt has called for the government to commit more troops and equipment to Afghanistan, but Gen Richards said he would not be presenting a "shopping list" to ministers. | Gen Dannatt has called for the government to commit more troops and equipment to Afghanistan, but Gen Richards said he would not be presenting a "shopping list" to ministers. |
| However, he said the Army and the government needed to "continue to respond flexibly and quickly to the evolving requirements of our campaign in Afghanistan". |