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Forner top soldier blasts Afghan policy
Gen. Ronald Guthrie, now Baron Guthrie of Craigiebank, spent 42 years in the Army, ending his career as its top officer from 1997 to 2001. He blasted Prime Minister Gordon Brown for underfunding the Afghan effort and cutting the Territorial Army, Sky News reported.
"It's unsatisfactory for the Ministry of Defence and ministers ... always saying that things are better," he told the Lords.
Earlier, Brown warned Afghan leaders he won't leave British troops in Afghanistan if government corruption persists.
Though saying the Afghan war was a "necessity, not choice," Brown seemed to open the door for a possible exit strategy, The Times of London reported.
"I am not prepared to put the lives of British men and women in harm's way for a government that does not stand up against corruption," Brown said.
Unless Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who has won a second term in office, embraces reform and cleans up his government, he will have "forfeited" his right to international military intervention, Brown said.
A poll Thursday indicated opposition to the war has swelled in the last several weeks, The Times said. Only 33 percent of Britons polled for the Channel 4 News survey said they thought the war can be won, while 57 percent said they did not.
Copyright 2009 by United Press International
This news arrived on: 11/06/2009
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Posted Comments:
11-07-2009 11:46
JL wrote:
Afghan Policy
NEVER have politicians and military try to work together. It will never work or happen. Dopey. Sneezy and the other dwarfs sit in their parliamentary chairs and think that what they say resolves problems. It does not and they should listen what is happening not what they think is happening.
11-07-2009 11:40
JL wrote:
Afghan Policy
The war cannot be won in Afghanistan because the will of the people is not evident. They, like most Middle Eastern countries will take what they can and let others do it for them. PULL OUT and let them fight their own battles as they obviously are not capable of listening or accepting advice. The other problem which you will never understand is that corruption is their way of life. I served in the middle east for 3 years and found that you got all smiles while they faced you but a stab in the back as sson as you turned away. as I said it is their way of life and no one will ever change it except themselves.
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