MPs fail to defend the case for ‘unwinnable’ Afghan war

I WISH to comment on two specific statements made by Patrick Mercer in his article concerning the deaths of six of our finest young men and the Government’s decision to withdraw our troops from Afghanistan in 2014-15 (Yorkshire Post, March 10).

In stating that “this comes on the back of a war that has never been properly explained to the British public”, he almost repeats what he stated in a previous article in November 2009.

What I find astonishing, is here we have an MP, who along with 23 others, took part in the Common’s debate on “International Force (Kabul)” on December 19, 2001, and presumably attended Prime Minister’ Questions prior to that debate, when the current situation at that time and future plans were explained!

Why did Mr Mercer not take the opportunity to ask his question then? Or why has he not thought of doing some research since 2001 to find out the facts?

As I have said before, our Government and MPs must do a better PR job to gain the public’s support.

A recent edition of Question Time showed nothing had been done in this regard as it was evident that both the panellists and members of the audience were ignorant of the reasons for our troops’ mission.

However, we did learn from one member of the audience, citing a reliable source, the mission is not winnable as we have failed to gain the confidence of the Afghan people.

Turning to the second statement: “We made a mistake going into Afghanistan without a clearly identified end state.”

Reference to Parliament’s Hansard records Tony Blair replying to Bill Wiggins’ question on December 19, 2001 that “our troops are not there on a long-term basis. We believe they will be there for several months”.

Our MPs appear to have failed to critically question the Government concerning some of the actions taken and later, the reason for the extended over-run.

I would remind Mr Mercer that the majority of MPs approved the decision to go to war against Iraq in 2003, a major blunder allowing the Taliban and al-Qaida to re-group, re-arm and adopt tactics learnt from the Iraq conflict, resulting in Britain and its Nato allies finding themselves in the present unsatisfactory situation after all these years.

From: H Illingworth, Bossall, York.

WHEN I see the faces of our six brave soldiers killed in Afghanistan (Yorkshire Post, March 21), I feel so sad for their families.

Our stupid, weak Prime Minister, David Cameron should pull our chaps out now.

Does he not read history? Afghanistan has always beaten the West.

If he wants to fight there, given him a rifle and send him there. I have voted Conservative all my life and now I am 82. While Cameron is in charge, not again.

From: Beryl Williams, School Hill, Wakefield.

HERO or insurgent? Depends which side you’re on, doesn’t it? And until we learn this, there will always be those who die ignoble deaths in war.

Aghanistan has never invaded another country, but woe betide any country that invades it.

I feel doubly grieved for our war dead and their families. For these heroes are regarded by our war strategists, in essence, as expendable, disposable cogs in a machine of greed. Let not our grief blind us to this.

Let us not forget this as we mourn them, and in response to their deaths, stop sending men there and work towards, and prepare, for peace.