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Labour MP urges Afghan withdrawal Labour MP urges Afghan withdrawal
(about 4 hours later)
A former Labour minister has called for the "great majority" of British troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan.A former Labour minister has called for the "great majority" of British troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan.
Kim Howells, chairman of the intelligence and security committee, said the money should be diverted to securing Britain from terrorist attack. Intelligence and security committee chairman Kim Howells said efforts should focus on securing the UK borders against terrorist attack.
He made his call before the news that five UK soldiers had died in a single incident in Helmand Province. Suggestions forces might need to stay in Afghanistan for decades to stabilise the country were "absurd", he said.
The Ministry of Defence said securing Afghanistan's borders was crucial for maintaining the UK's security. But Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said the Afghan mission was "inextricably tied" to UK security.
A spokesman said it was "vital to the UK that Afghanistan becomes a stable and secure state that is able to suppress violent extremism within its borders". Five UK soldiers died earlier in a single incident in Helmand Province.
"Britain's own security is at risk if we again allow Afghanistan to become a safe haven for terrorists," he added. Gordon Brown told MPs that the Taliban may have infiltrated the Afghan police force to carry out the attack.
During prime minister's questions, he promised an inquiry into the attack, which was originally blamed on a "rogue" policeman but for which the Taliban have since claimed responsibility.
And he defended the mission after one Labour MP asked him whether the war against the Taliban could ever be won.
"The sacrifice of our military is great and our resolve must match it," he said.
'Heavy burden''Heavy burden'
Mr Howells - a former foreign office minister who supported the war when it began in 2001 - said the opportunity given to the Afghans to tackle the problems blighting the country had "largely been squandered". Speaking before news of the Helmand incident, Mr Howells - a former foreign office minister who supported the war when it began in 2001 - said the opportunity given to the Afghans to tackle the problems blighting the country had "largely been squandered".
Suggestions that British troops might have to remain in Afghanistan for decades to come to stabilise the country were "absurd", he said. A properly planned, phased withdrawal of troops from Helmand province - where the majority of UK forces are based - was necessary, he told the BBC.
A properly planned, phased withdrawal of troops from Helmand province - where the majority of UK forces are based - was necessary. "How long do we put up with brave young men and women dying and being injured in Afghanistan?" Mr Howells said.
"How long do we put up with brave young men and women dying and being injured in Afghanistan?" he told the BBC.
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Public support for the mission had been severely damaged by the recent Afghan presidential election, which was beset by claims of corruption.Public support for the mission had been severely damaged by the recent Afghan presidential election, which was beset by claims of corruption.
"I think that part of the problem is the way in which we have handled the Karzai government and the way in which we have handled our NATO allies because the great burden of fighting and of deaths and injuries have been borne by the Americans, by us, by the Canadians and the Danes. Mr Howells said: "I think that part of the problem is the way in which we have handled the Karzai government and the way in which we have handled our NATO allies because the great burden of fighting and of deaths and injuries have been borne by the Americans, by us, by the Canadians and the Danes.
"Very few countries have put their troops in the way of danger as we have and we have borne the struggle against terrorism in Afghanistan hoping that it will reduce terrorism in this country.""Very few countries have put their troops in the way of danger as we have and we have borne the struggle against terrorism in Afghanistan hoping that it will reduce terrorism in this country."
Military deaths 'Own safety'
The BBC's defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt said this was the first call by a senior politician for UK troops to be pulled out. BBC defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt said Mr Howells was the first senior politician to call for a withdrawal of UK troops.
However, she said there were other MPs from all parties, particularly among the Liberal Democrats, who felt the same way. Mr Ainsworth told BBC Radio 4's World at One: "If he's saying we can provide for our security at our own borders, then I disagree with him."
Labour MP Eric Joyce, who resigned as a defence aide in protest over Afghan policy, said Mr Howells was "quite right" that the UK's "main effort" should be on protecting its citizens at home. He added: "We cannot secure ourselves at the borders of Great Britain... if Afghanistan is not secured, then Pakistan will not be secure and Great Britain will not be secure.
While he did not back the immediate withdrawal of UK troops, he told the BBC the government must ask itself whether the current strategy was working both in terms of the "blood and money" being spent. "We are there because this mission is inextricably tied to our own safety in the United Kingdom."
Labour MP Eric Joyce, who resigned as a defence aide in protest at Afghan policy, said Mr Howells was "quite right" that the UK's "main effort" should be on protecting its citizens at home.
While he did not back the immediate withdrawal of UK troops, he said the government must ask itself whether the current strategy was working both in terms of the "blood and money" being spent.
"We need to reappraise exactly what we are doing in Afghanistan.""We need to reappraise exactly what we are doing in Afghanistan."
Intelligence
The deaths of a further five soldiers takes the number of British military personnel killed on operations in Afghanistan since 2001 to 229.The deaths of a further five soldiers takes the number of British military personnel killed on operations in Afghanistan since 2001 to 229.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the whole country would mourn the deaths of the soldiers, who were shot by a "rogue" Afghan policeman. The UK currently has 9,000 troops in Afghanistan and Mr Brown has said he is prepared to send a further 500 troops to Afghanistan if certain conditions are met.
The UK currently has 9,000 troops in Afghanistan and Gordon Brown has said he is prepared to send a further 500 troops to Afghanistan if certain conditions are met.
Home soil
Writing in Wednesday's Guardian, Mr Howells said seven years of military involvement had subdued al-Qaeda's activities in Afghanistan but had not destroyed the organisation or its leader, Osama Bin Laden.Writing in Wednesday's Guardian, Mr Howells said seven years of military involvement had subdued al-Qaeda's activities in Afghanistan but had not destroyed the organisation or its leader, Osama Bin Laden.
He said the British people were increasingly questioning whether deploying troops was the best way of preventing "Islamic terrorist murders in the UK".He said the British people were increasingly questioning whether deploying troops was the best way of preventing "Islamic terrorist murders in the UK".
British troops have been in Afghanistan since 2001
"It is time to ask whether the fight against those who are intent on murdering British citizens might better be served by diverting [the cost of maintaining British forces in Afghanistan] to the work of the UK Border Agency and our police and intelligence services.
"It would be better... to bring home the great majority of our fighting men and women and concentrate on using the money saved to secure our own borders, gather intelligence on terrorist activities inside Britain, expand our intelligence operations abroad.""It would be better... to bring home the great majority of our fighting men and women and concentrate on using the money saved to secure our own borders, gather intelligence on terrorist activities inside Britain, expand our intelligence operations abroad."
As chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee, Mr Howells is responsible for examining the policy and budgets of the domestic and foreign security services, MI5 and MI6.As chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee, Mr Howells is responsible for examining the policy and budgets of the domestic and foreign security services, MI5 and MI6.
Co-operating with foreign intelligence services and countering terrorist propaganda should be prioritised, he said.
He acknowledged such a move would require a much heavier police presence on the streets of the UK and "intrusive" surveillance.
"Life inside the UK would have to change," he said. "Some of these changes will create great opposition but many of them will be welcomed."