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| David Cameron Meets Afghan President in Unannounced Trip | David Cameron Meets Afghan President in Unannounced Trip |
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| KABUL, Afghanistan — Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain became the first world leader to visit Afghanistan’s new president, Ashraf Ghani, on Friday, in an unannounced trip to mark the impending departure of British troops from the country while assuring the new government of continued financial and political support. | |
| Noting the “heavy price” paid by Britain in Afghanistan, where 453 British service members have died in over a decade of fighting, Mr. Cameron said it was now time for the Afghan security forces to defend their own country. “Now, 13 long years later, Afghanistan can — and must — deliver its own security,” he said. | Noting the “heavy price” paid by Britain in Afghanistan, where 453 British service members have died in over a decade of fighting, Mr. Cameron said it was now time for the Afghan security forces to defend their own country. “Now, 13 long years later, Afghanistan can — and must — deliver its own security,” he said. |
| He also offered his blessing to the fledgling government led by Mr. Ghani, a former technocrat who came to power through a contentious political deal, but who has promised a sweeping agenda of overhauls and turned a friendlier face to Western allies than his predecessor, Hamid Karzai. | He also offered his blessing to the fledgling government led by Mr. Ghani, a former technocrat who came to power through a contentious political deal, but who has promised a sweeping agenda of overhauls and turned a friendlier face to Western allies than his predecessor, Hamid Karzai. |
| “We are not leaving this country alone,” Mr. Cameron said. “In Britain you will always have a strong partner and a friend.” | “We are not leaving this country alone,” Mr. Cameron said. “In Britain you will always have a strong partner and a friend.” |
| After meeting Mr. Ghani in Kabul, Mr. Cameron flew to the southern province of Helmand, where British troops are preparing to leave a major desert base by the end of the year. | After meeting Mr. Ghani in Kabul, Mr. Cameron flew to the southern province of Helmand, where British troops are preparing to leave a major desert base by the end of the year. |
| Elsewhere, though, the British are escalating military action. | Elsewhere, though, the British are escalating military action. |
| Mr. Cameron flew into Afghanistan from Cyprus, where he had visited British fighter pilots taking part in airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq. “The work of defeating Islamist extremist terror goes on elsewhere,” he said. “And because this threatens us at home, we must continue to play our part.” | Mr. Cameron flew into Afghanistan from Cyprus, where he had visited British fighter pilots taking part in airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq. “The work of defeating Islamist extremist terror goes on elsewhere,” he said. “And because this threatens us at home, we must continue to play our part.” |
| For Mr. Ghani, the visit represented another step toward resetting Afghanistan’s relationship with important Western allies, while purging the rancor that had accumulated during the last years of Mr. Karzai’s tenure. | For Mr. Ghani, the visit represented another step toward resetting Afghanistan’s relationship with important Western allies, while purging the rancor that had accumulated during the last years of Mr. Karzai’s tenure. |
| On Tuesday, a day after his inauguration, Mr. Ghani signed security deals with the United States and NATO to allow for a limited Western military presence after Dec. 31. That force, estimated to number at least 12,000 mostly American soldiers, will mainly help train the Afghan security forces. | On Tuesday, a day after his inauguration, Mr. Ghani signed security deals with the United States and NATO to allow for a limited Western military presence after Dec. 31. That force, estimated to number at least 12,000 mostly American soldiers, will mainly help train the Afghan security forces. |
| But a smaller number of American Special Operations forces will also stay behind to carry out counterterrorism raids in Afghanistan — a stark reminder that the goal of eradicating terrorism, which, as Mr. Cameron said Friday, “is why we came here in the first place,” remains unachieved. | |
| The British experience in Helmand, a sprawling province along the border with Pakistan at the heart of the illicit opium trade, offers a sobering example of the limitations of Western military action in Afghanistan. Announcing the mission in 2006, Britain’s defense secretary at the time, John Reid, said he hoped that British troops would leave Helmand after three years “without firing one shot.” | |
| But the British quickly became embroiled in a bloody fight on several fronts. Taliban insurgents streamed across the border from bases in northern Pakistan. And well-organized opium warlords, some with connections to the Karzai government, also attacked British forces. | But the British quickly became embroiled in a bloody fight on several fronts. Taliban insurgents streamed across the border from bases in northern Pakistan. And well-organized opium warlords, some with connections to the Karzai government, also attacked British forces. |
| American troops were sent to Helmand as part of the surge announced by President Obama in 2009, eventually taking over the combat role. But their effect was also limited. | American troops were sent to Helmand as part of the surge announced by President Obama in 2009, eventually taking over the combat role. But their effect was also limited. |
| Now, much of northern Helmand is contested territory, with district centers coming under ferocious attack from Taliban fighters while the opium trade hits a record high this year. | Now, much of northern Helmand is contested territory, with district centers coming under ferocious attack from Taliban fighters while the opium trade hits a record high this year. |
| As the military operation winds down, Afghanistan’s immediate needs are financial. In November, Mr. Ghani and Mr. Cameron will host an international donor conference in London that will determine the extent of international aid to Afghanistan in the coming years. Britain has already committed to give 178 million pounds, or about $288 million, a year until 2017, Mr. Cameron said. | As the military operation winds down, Afghanistan’s immediate needs are financial. In November, Mr. Ghani and Mr. Cameron will host an international donor conference in London that will determine the extent of international aid to Afghanistan in the coming years. Britain has already committed to give 178 million pounds, or about $288 million, a year until 2017, Mr. Cameron said. |
| Mr. Ghani has taken steps to assure Western donors that any further money will not be squandered. On Wednesday, he ordered the courts to take new action on the collapse of Kabul Bank in 2010, a $900 million scandal that to many Western donors embodied the impunity of the rich and powerful. | Mr. Ghani has taken steps to assure Western donors that any further money will not be squandered. On Wednesday, he ordered the courts to take new action on the collapse of Kabul Bank in 2010, a $900 million scandal that to many Western donors embodied the impunity of the rich and powerful. |
| A large part of the Afghan budget is absorbed by the wages of its 340,000-member security forces, which Mr. Cameron described in glowing terms in Kabul. “These are capable, determined forces,” he said. But those forces have been sorely tested this year as Taliban insurgents mount attacks on vulnerable districts across the country, including in Helmand. | A large part of the Afghan budget is absorbed by the wages of its 340,000-member security forces, which Mr. Cameron described in glowing terms in Kabul. “These are capable, determined forces,” he said. But those forces have been sorely tested this year as Taliban insurgents mount attacks on vulnerable districts across the country, including in Helmand. |
| For weeks now, Afghan forces have been under Taliban assault at Sangin, a district at the center of the opium trade where many British and American lives were lost in the past seven years. | For weeks now, Afghan forces have been under Taliban assault at Sangin, a district at the center of the opium trade where many British and American lives were lost in the past seven years. |
| Mr. Ghani is seeking to move away from the belligerent attitude of Mr. Karzai, who frequently criticized foreign troops for civilian casualties, toward a friendly yet firm approach to Western allies that he needs to bankroll his government. | Mr. Ghani is seeking to move away from the belligerent attitude of Mr. Karzai, who frequently criticized foreign troops for civilian casualties, toward a friendly yet firm approach to Western allies that he needs to bankroll his government. |
| On Friday, he acknowledged the sacrifices of British and other international troops who were killed or wounded in Afghanistan. Some had “left pieces of their body here,” he said, while others returned home with “haunting” memories. But he also reminded his Western allies that they had come to Afghanistan to secure their own interests. | On Friday, he acknowledged the sacrifices of British and other international troops who were killed or wounded in Afghanistan. Some had “left pieces of their body here,” he said, while others returned home with “haunting” memories. But he also reminded his Western allies that they had come to Afghanistan to secure their own interests. |
| “Remember what brought us together was tragedy,” he said. “9/11 was followed by attacks on London. Your presence here has meant that London has been safe, as well as the rest of the world.” | “Remember what brought us together was tragedy,” he said. “9/11 was followed by attacks on London. Your presence here has meant that London has been safe, as well as the rest of the world.” |
| Afghanistan had suffered from “the ugly side of globalization,” Mr. Ghani said. “There cannot be fortress Europe or fortress America. We live, whether we like it or dislike it, in an integrated world where global forces, both for good and for evil, coexist.” | Afghanistan had suffered from “the ugly side of globalization,” Mr. Ghani said. “There cannot be fortress Europe or fortress America. We live, whether we like it or dislike it, in an integrated world where global forces, both for good and for evil, coexist.” |