Troops will return despite Afghan terror haven fears

David Cameron has reaffirmed plans to withdraw British troops from Afghanistan amid fresh warnings the country could re-emerge as a terrorist haven once international forces have gone.

Attending the Nato summit in Chicago, the Prime Minister confirmed British troops – like other international forces – will end their combat role by the end of 2014.

“That is our deadline,” he said.

Despite the international pull-out, he insisted the Taliban could not regain power by force of arms and he urged them to re-open negotiations with the government of President Hamid Karzai.

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“The message to the insurgency is equally clear: You can’t win on the battlefield; stop fighting and start talking,” he said.

However senior officials acknowledged there was no guarantee that terrorists would not be able to re-establish a foothold in the country from which Osama bin Laden launched the 9/11 attacks.

“It is unrealistic to assume that Afghanistan is going to be completely secure and there is no possibility of a terrorist threat re-emerging,” said one official.

“But our achievements of the last decade mean that we will withdraw from a country where the threat is much reduced and where Afghan forces are now much more able to respond to that threat.”

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Officials have already raised the prospect that a small number of British troops – almost certainly special forces – could stay on in a counter-terrorism role after 2014.

Previously ministers have said any remaining British troops would be involved solely in the training and mentoring of the Afghan National Security Forces.

Meanwhile the commander of the international military force, US General John Allen, warned they would face combat fighting right up until the last day an warned the Taliban would continue to oppose the Afghan National Security Force after 2014.

He said that even after the ANSF takes the lead across the country from the middle of next year, there would still be a significant combat role for international forces.

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Mr Cameron said it was in Britain’s national interest to continue supporting Afghanistan beyond 2014. “It is in our national interest that we continue to play an important role in supporting Afghanistan beyond 2014,” he said.

“The message to the Afghan people is that we will not desert them.”

Britain has already pledged $110m a year (£70m) towards the £4bn annual cost of supporting the Afghan forces after 2014.

The Americans, who will shoulder the lion’s share of the burden, are looking for around $1.3bn (£820m) from the allies.

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There were fresh contributions totalling almost $1bn (£630m) during the summit from the Netherlands, Denmark and Luxembourg, with further support expected from the Gulf states.

Mr Cameron acknowledged political development and progress would produce a “better outcome”. But he noted: “That is not fully in our control.”

“But I am confident that our troops can leave with their heads held high having completed the combat task in 2014, because they will be handing over to fully capable Afghan National Security Forces who will be able to deal with any residual problems and issues.”

He expressed frustration that president Barack Obama had been unable to win agreement from Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari to reopen supply routes into Afghanistan but expressed confidence that the dispute would eventually be resolved.

“We have to understand the difficult politics and political situation in Pakistan. In spite of the occasional frustrations we have to stick with that relationship and I believe it will deliver.”