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Afghan war 'not without end', Miliband tells UK troops | Afghan war 'not without end', Miliband tells UK troops |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Labour leader Ed Miliband has told UK troops serving in Afghanistan that their country is united behind them. | Labour leader Ed Miliband has told UK troops serving in Afghanistan that their country is united behind them. |
In his first-ever trip to the country he addressed soldiers at the UK's Camp Bastion base in Helmand province. | In his first-ever trip to the country he addressed soldiers at the UK's Camp Bastion base in Helmand province. |
Mr Miliband told them the mission in Afghanistan was above party politics and insisted they had the country's "support, respect and admiration". | Mr Miliband told them the mission in Afghanistan was above party politics and insisted they had the country's "support, respect and admiration". |
But he told the soldiers that the conflict was "not a war without end". | But he told the soldiers that the conflict was "not a war without end". |
For security reasons, details of the Labour leader's trip were not reported by the UK media until it ended. | For security reasons, details of the Labour leader's trip were not reported by the UK media until it ended. |
He toured the force's main base at Camp Bastion on Friday, meeting injured soldiers. | He toured the force's main base at Camp Bastion on Friday, meeting injured soldiers. |
Speaking to troops who had themselves just arrived there he told them that the mission in Afghanistan was not a matter of party politics. | Speaking to troops who had themselves just arrived there he told them that the mission in Afghanistan was not a matter of party politics. |
"It is about doing what is right for our country. A more stable Afghanistan will lead to a more safe Britain." | "It is about doing what is right for our country. A more stable Afghanistan will lead to a more safe Britain." |
He assured them they had the support of the whole country and that he himself wanted to do more to help them. | He assured them they had the support of the whole country and that he himself wanted to do more to help them. |
Doing more for soldiers and their families was a "priority" he said, and also doing more for "those who leave the armed forces so that they have the support they need." | Doing more for soldiers and their families was a "priority" he said, and also doing more for "those who leave the armed forces so that they have the support they need." |
Accompanied by shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy and shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander, he also met the commander of Nato forces in Afghanistan, US General David Petraeus. | Accompanied by shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy and shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander, he also met the commander of Nato forces in Afghanistan, US General David Petraeus. |
Mr Miliband travelled to Shawqat, which has seen some of the fiercest fighting recently. | Mr Miliband travelled to Shawqat, which has seen some of the fiercest fighting recently. |
He later held talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in the capital Kabul. According to Labour aides, the two men discussed the political situation in Afghanistan and the process of transition. |
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