Colonel criticises the West’s ‘mistakes’ over Afghanistan ahead of Parliament recall

The Army officer and former United Nations commander who helped to lead the military campaign in Bosnia has condemned the “mistakes” made by the West in response to the Afghanistan crisis, ahead of an emergency recall of Parliament today.
The Houses of Parliament and Westminster Bridge in London pictured in March 2021 (PA/Aaron Chown)The Houses of Parliament and Westminster Bridge in London pictured in March 2021 (PA/Aaron Chown)
The Houses of Parliament and Westminster Bridge in London pictured in March 2021 (PA/Aaron Chown)

Colonel Bob Stewart said we have “failed our fellow human beings” and that he is “appalled by what has and could be about to happen in the country”.

Writing in The Yorkshire Post today, the Conservative MP for Beckenham said: “The idea that people are desperately clinging to aircraft as they take off because they believe they will be butchered if they remain behind on the ground is utterly abhorrent.”

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He added: “As human beings we have failed our fellow human beings who happen to have been unlucky enough to have been born in Afghanistan.

“Our generation have botched supporting our fellow human beings in Afghanistan and then deserted them. All of us must bear that responsibility. God help the people of Afghanistan.”

Colonel Stewart, whose late mother served in the Special Operations Executive in the Second World War and who visited Belsen concentration camp at the end of the war, said: “I feel guilty that over 457 British Service personnel have died in Afghanistan. What price their sacrifice?

“How do their wives, parents and all their friends and relatives feel today?”

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The House of Commons will be in session today, allowing MPs to discuss the events including the collapse of Kabul to the Taliban over the weekend, amid intense criticism of the Government’s approach to the crisis from across the political spectrum.

Dave Brown, head of charity Migration Yorkshire, said he would like any support and resettlement of refugees to be “based on humanitarian need rather than politics”.

He said: “We would hope to see Parliamentarians from across the board, from across the political parties, backing this scheme.

“We’d like to see it done in partnership with local communities, local Government and the voluntary and community sector and resourced properly to make sure that we can integrate refugees and so that communities can play a real part in helping to make sure that people feel welcome.”

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Mr Brown praised this region’s response to humanitarian crises, adding: “We have a responsibility and a moral obligation to take people and I’d say that in Yorkshire and Humber we’ve always responded well to humanitarian emergencies [...] When there’s a humanitarian crisis [we] act quickly and show leadership and often others will follow.”

Labour MP for Leeds North East and former Shadow Minister for the Middle East Fabian Hamilton said he would like to see “immediate rescue flights”.

He said he wants “for the people in Afghanistan whether they’re British, or work for the British Council [...] anybody who has supported our country and the democratic process there and has worked for the British Council or any British organisations being immediately repatriated to the United Kingdom whether they’re citizens or not, and if they’re not citizens, being given the right to remain in the UK with their families.”

Meanwhile, an NHS doctor and former refugee has called for the Government to treat incoming asylum seekers and refugees from Afghanistan humanely when they arrive in the UK.

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Dr Waheed Arian, 38, who fled Afghanistan in 1999 after the Taliban seized control of the nation, said it was important that Afghan refugees were not criminalised on arrival.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said 150 British nationals were flown out on Sunday while 289 Afghan nationals were taken out last week.

A further 350 British and Afghans were expected to be taken out of the country between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Those eligible to come to the UK have been told it is up to them to make their way to Kabul airport.

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Around 900 armed forces personnel are in Afghanistan helping to bring UK nationals home and secure the safety of selected Afghans. Royal Navy Vice Admiral Sir Ben Key told BBC Radio 4’s World At One programme the Taliban seemed “acquiescent” about allowing people to reach the city’s airport, but stressed Britain could not take that position for granted as repatriation efforts gather pace.

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