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David Cameron tells UK troops their work in Afghanistan ‘will live forever’ David Cameron tells UK troops their work in Afghanistan ‘will live forever’
(about 5 hours later)
An emotional David Cameron has told British troops leaving Camp Bastion in Afghanistan that their achievements in the country will live for ever, while warning that military strength would continue to be needed in the struggle against Islamic extremism all over the world. An emotional David Cameron has told British troops leaving Camp Bastion in Afghanistan that their achievements in the country would live for ever, while warning that military strength would continue to be needed in the struggle against Islamic extremism all over the world.
The UK prime minister spoke while on his final visit to Afghanistan before British troops depart the country in a few weeks, leaving the task of repelling the Taliban to the Afghan national army. At the height of the conflict, there were 9,500 British service people in the country. The UK prime minister spoke on his 14th and final visit to the country before British troops depart in a few weeks, leaving the task of repelling the Taliban to the Afghan national army. At the height of the conflict, there were 9,500 British servicemen and women in the country.
The pullout of UK troops ends an engagement that has lasted since 2001 and brought 453 British deaths. The campaign has been criticised as a strategic failure, not least by the outgoing Afghan president, Hamid Karzai. Kabul still falls victim to frequent suicide bombings, and there is little sign that the Taliban have been pushed back from their strongholds, despite years of fighting. The pullout of UK troops ends an engagement that has lasted since 2001 and resulted in 453 British deaths. The campaign has been criticised as a strategic failure, not least by the outgoing Afghan president, Hamid Karzai. Kabul still falls victim to frequent suicide bombings, and there is little sign that the Taliban have been pushed back from their strongholds, despite years of fighting.
British soldiers say the Afghan army now has impressive battlefield capability, but may still be short of communications equipment and logistics.British soldiers say the Afghan army now has impressive battlefield capability, but may still be short of communications equipment and logistics.
Speaking in an aircraft hanger at Camp Bastion for the 14th and final time, in sweltering heat, Cameron momentarily referred to Afghanistan as Iraq before delivering an impassioned speech of gratitude to the assembled forces, mainly from commando brigade. Speaking in an aircraft hangar at Camp Bastion in sweltering heat, Cameron momentarily referred to Afghanistan as Iraq before delivering an impassioned speech of gratitude to the assembled forces, mainly from commando brigade.
He said: “If our great grandfathers were fighting against the Prussian domination of Europe, if our grandfathers were fighting fascism, if our fathers were fighting the cold war against communism, then I am afraid to say – and let us be frank about this struggle against Islamic extremism and terrorism – this is the struggle of our generation.He said: “If our great grandfathers were fighting against the Prussian domination of Europe, if our grandfathers were fighting fascism, if our fathers were fighting the cold war against communism, then I am afraid to say – and let us be frank about this struggle against Islamic extremism and terrorism – this is the struggle of our generation.
“It is not about involving ourselves in countries about which we know nothing. It is about protecting ourselves in our own streets, in our homes, in our own towns. Whatever we may think, these people have declared war on us and we must make sure that we must respond with robustness and resolution.”“It is not about involving ourselves in countries about which we know nothing. It is about protecting ourselves in our own streets, in our homes, in our own towns. Whatever we may think, these people have declared war on us and we must make sure that we must respond with robustness and resolution.”
He added: “As we prepare to leave Camp Bastion, let us remember all those that have served and fallen and all those that have been wounded.”He added: “As we prepare to leave Camp Bastion, let us remember all those that have served and fallen and all those that have been wounded.”
He recalled that on the wall of Camp Bastion are some lines from the poet John Maxwell Edmonds that read: “When you go home and tell them of us and say: for your tomorrow we gave our today”. He said the achievements of the British troops “will live forever”. He recalled that on the wall of Camp Bastion are some lines from the poet John Maxwell Edmonds that read: “When you go home and tell them of us and say: for your tomorrow we gave our today.”
Earlier Cameron had become the first world leader to meet the fragile new Afghan government, led jointly by Ashraf Ghani and his defeated opponent in the presidential race, Abdullah Abdullah, in Kabul. Earlier in Kabul, Cameron became the first world leader to meet the fragile new Afghan government, led jointly by Ashraf Ghani and his defeated opponent in the presidential race, Abdullah Abdullah.
Speaking in the Afghan capital, he said Britain had paid a “very high price” for its involvement in Afghanistan, but that the work had been vital and had left a country transformed. He said Afghanistan had been the furnace in which al-Qaida had been formed and it had now been driven from its safe havens. Speaking in the Afghan capital, Cameron said Britain had paid a “very high price” for its involvement in Afghanistan, but that the work had been vital and had left a country transformed. “This was the place the 9/11 attacks were plotted from,” he said. “This is the place from where countless plots were planned.
“This was the place the 9/11 attacks were plotted from,” he said. “This is the place from where countless plots were planned.
“Al-Qaida and the training camps have been driven out. We are fighting a generational struggle against Islamic extremist terrorism. It had its original furnace here where al-Qaida was based.”“Al-Qaida and the training camps have been driven out. We are fighting a generational struggle against Islamic extremist terrorism. It had its original furnace here where al-Qaida was based.”
He said at the point he became prime minister in 2010, nine out of 10 attacks planned in the streets of Britain derived from Afghanistan or Pakistan. This number had fallen to “somewhere near half”.He said at the point he became prime minister in 2010, nine out of 10 attacks planned in the streets of Britain derived from Afghanistan or Pakistan. This number had fallen to “somewhere near half”.
He added: “The core UK mission was about our domestic security and that required an Afghan army and police force capable of taking care of their own security and not providing a safe haven to al-Qaida.”He added: “The core UK mission was about our domestic security and that required an Afghan army and police force capable of taking care of their own security and not providing a safe haven to al-Qaida.”
On this Cameron claimed significant progress, saying that in Helmand province alone, four Afghan brigades existed and across the country the 340,000 Afghan forces and police were leading 99% of all operations and 90% of all training.On this Cameron claimed significant progress, saying that in Helmand province alone, four Afghan brigades existed and across the country the 340,000 Afghan forces and police were leading 99% of all operations and 90% of all training.
“The promise I made in 2010 that Britain will be out of the country by 2014, that commitment has been met. That does not mean we are leaving this country to its devices. We have a huge aid programme that will continue and we will pay our share to the Afghan security forces.”“The promise I made in 2010 that Britain will be out of the country by 2014, that commitment has been met. That does not mean we are leaving this country to its devices. We have a huge aid programme that will continue and we will pay our share to the Afghan security forces.”
The Afghan president, Ashraf Ghani, said his new government faced a choice between delivering on its promises or collapse as he offered the Taliban a route to peace talks if they abandoned nihilist destruction of his country. Ghani said his new government faced a choice between delivering on its promises or collapse. The new Afghan President offered the Taliban a route to peace talks if they abandoned nihilist destruction of his country.
Speaking alongside Cameron, Ghani thanked the British families that had lost loved ones, and soldiers that had left limbs and haunting memories behind. Ghani said he was already taking steps to change the country, including depoliticising the police and tackling corruption in the Bank of Kabul. Speaking alongside Cameron, Ghani thanked the British families that had lost loved ones, and soldiers that had left limbs and haunting memories behind. The president said he was already taking steps to change the country, including depoliticising the police and tackling corruption in the Bank of Kabul.
“We thank [the British people] for the loss of their lost ones,” said Ghani, “They stood shoulder to shoulder with us.” But he said it was “important to remember what had brought the two countries together: 9/11 was followed by attacks in London. “We thank [the British people] for the loss of their loved ones,” said Ghani, “They stood shoulder to shoulder with us.” But he said it was “important to remember what had brought the two countries together: 9/11 was followed by attacks in London.
“Your prescience has meant London has been safe. There cannot be fortress Europe or fortress America, whether we like it or not. In an integrated world there are global forces both for good and for evil. We in Afghanistan are suffering from the ugly side of globalisation, whether it is drugs, whether it is criminal networks or terrorism.” “Your prescience has meant London has been safe. There cannot be fortress Europe or fortress America, whether we like it or not. In an integrated world there are global forces both for good and for evil.
“We in Afghanistan are suffering from the ugly side of globalisation, whether it is drugs, whether it is criminal networks or terrorism.”