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Britain resolute over drive to train Afghans to stand alone
THE British Army will not be swayed from its efforts to build up Afghanistan's security forces despite the murderous attack by a rogue Afghan soldier, Prime Minister David Cameron has pledged.
Speaking after a lengthy conversation with Afghan President Hamid Karzai about the incident yesterday which left three British soldiers dead and four more injured, Mr Cameron said it was "absolutely essential" that work alongside the Afghan army continues.
Politicians and generals have repeatedly said a strong Afghan security force must be developed so UK servicemen and women can finally withdraw from the war-torn country.
A massive programme to train tens of thousands of new Afghan soldiers and police officers is underway, but concerns have been expressed about the quality and allegiance of some recruits.
These fears were heightened after five British soldiers were shot dead by a rogue Afghan policeman last November.
But despite the latest incident, in which a rogue soldier killed three British soldiers while they slept, Mr Cameron said the policy was succeeding and remained the only way forward.
"The trust between the Afghan National Army (ANA) and British Army units and other Nato units is very strong and working well," the Prime Minister said.
"This is a rogue element in the ANA. This is not typical of what the ANA is now doing. We must not let this change our strategy of building up the army, building up the government of Afghanistan."
The 120,000-strong Afghan army was doing a "good job", he said, while strengthening it further represented "the way we are going to be able to bring our troops back home."
Mr Cameron said Taliban insurgents wanted the UK and its Nato allies to lose faith in the Afghan Army.
"The insurgents want us to change our approach, they want us to abandon our strategy, they want us to lose faith in the ANA. That would not be the right approach."
A former soldier decorated for his bravery while serving in Afghanistan agreed the British Army must continue to work closely with its Afghan allies.
Doug Beattie, who served alongside Afghan soldiers as a captain in the Royal Irish Regiment and was awarded the Military Cross, said the vast majority were "diligent and brave".
"The first thing to say is that this is an extremely rare incident. I have served with the Afghan army. I have put my life in their hands and vice versa," he added.
"They are brave, diligent soldiers and they are paying a heavy price for serving their country. For every death of a British soldier you hear about there are four or five Afghans who are killed.
"This incident must not alter the direction we are going in. Lessons must be learned, but we must go on with the task in hand."
Defence experts suggested troops are ultimately "philosophical" about the risks.
Professor Michael Clarke, director of the Royal United Services Institute think-tank, said: "From a military point of view it's like an IED (improvised explosive device) – the troops accept the risks."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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