Afghanistan deaths: Is it still worth it?

Bill Rammell and Lindsey German, Monday, 13th July, The Mirror

The loss of eight soldiers in just 24 hours last week was the British Army's darkest day in Afghanistan. As yet more families mourn their loved ones calls are intensifying to end the bloody conflict. Here, two leading figures argue for and against the war.

YES - Bill Rammell

The task we face in Afghanistan is immensely difficult.

It is a dangerous mission in a hot demanding environment.

In the Taliban we face a ruthless enemy. They are prepared to plant improvised explosive devices in civilian areas leave them there for days at a time.

They are prepared to attack indiscriminately and kill both civilians and our troops.

When we have seen the number of deaths we have had this week my heart goes out to the families of the troops who have been lost. Nothing can compensate for the loss of their loved ones. We owe them a debt of gratitude.

I also totally understand when people see these deaths and ask, "Is it worth it?".

But we need to be clear - our forces are serving our national interest.

In 2001, the Taliban were allowing terrorist training camps to operate out of Afghanistan.

Those terrorists targeted this country as well as other nations. We must never let that happen again.

Our mission today is still to take on the terrorist threat at its source. It is what our troops are doing.

And I have no doubt whatsoever that without the professionalism and heroism of those troops we would be at greater risk of terrorist attacks today.

We will achieve that mission by, alongside the military strategy, rebuilding Afghanistan.

We will build up the capacity of the Afghan army. And we will help ensure they have the right justice system, the right police.

We have to stop their economy being driven by the drug trade.

But the mission has been clear and true. It is to make the Afghans and ourselves safe from terrorist attack. I accept we have to explain that mission constantly to British people. People need to understand why it is so important to us.

I have been to Afghanistan three times. I have seen the real professionalism, real commitment and bloody bravery of our troops. It is phenomenal.

They know why they are there and they know why it is important.

But some of the debate in this country is always about what is going wrong.

It won't undermine troops' morale. They are dedicated professionals.

But, frankly, I think they could do without the constant sniping and criticism.

People also need to understand this is not just about Britain.

We are there as a joint effort. We are there as part of a 42-nation coalition. We have increased our troop levels from 5,500 to 9,000. And the Americans have increased their commitment by 20,000.

We have to see this through - that is absolutely essential for us as well as the Afghan people.


NO - Lindsey German

The Stop the War Coalition is saddened by the tragic deaths of young soldiers in Afghanistan.

These deaths were unnecessary as is the increasing toll of the people of Afghanistan killed by indiscriminate aerial bombardment.

It is time that the politicians of this country told the truth about this war.

It is not a "good" war to liberate the people of that country.

It is a war now being fought to prop up one of the most corrupt governments in the world. Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai is no democrat - he is supported by some of the most brutal warlords in that country.

The biggest deceit about the war and the one now repeated by Gordon Brown and, sadly, US President Barack Obama is that the war is necessary to prevent terror attacks in Britain. The opposite is the case.

Our continued occupation of Afghanistan is destabilising that country and also neighbouring Pakistan. It makes more likely continued terrorist activity throughout the world.

There is now pressure for even more troops to be sent to Afghanistan.

Our politicians have not learnt the lessons of Vietnam, where more and more troops were sent and more and more were killed.

That war nearly broke the US army and nearly bankrupted America.

Eventually the US was forced to withdraw. Who now supports the conflict in Vietnam as a "good" war? Senior military figures admit that the war is unwinnable even if we stay in that country for another decade. The cost of this futile fight will double this year at a time when public services are under threat. Schools, hospitals and homes are in desperate need of new resources and we face a situation where billions of pounds are going into a war with no end.

This is a pointless conflict and that is why the deaths of these young soldiers are tragic because they are not fighting to defend their country.

They are fighting and dying to salvage the reputation of politicians who lack the courage to say publicly what they mutter to themselves behind closed doors.

Many of the soldiers killed in the past few days were teenagers with their whole lives ahead of them.

They deserve better than to be sent on an impossible mission with no clear political strategy. The political class in this country has a lot to answer for.

They have taken us into a war with no thought for the consequences for the people of Afghanistan or for the British soldiers. This is why our campaign to bring the troops home will continue.