World | Afghanistan
Top UK commander's views disappoint Afghan officials
Britain's commander in Afghanistan has said the war against the Taliban cannot be won, the Sunday Times reported.
- Reuters
- Published: 23:25 October 5, 2008
London: Britain's commander in Afghanistan has said the war against the Taliban cannot be won, the Sunday Times reported.
It quoted Brigadier Mark Carleton-Smith as saying in an interview that if the Taliban were willing to talk, then that might be "precisely the sort of progress" needed to end the insurgency.
"We're not going to win this war. It's about reducing it to a manageable level of insurgency that's not a strategic threat and can be managed by the Afghan army," he said.
He said his forces had "taken the sting out of the Taliban for 2008" but that troops may well leave Afghanistan with there still being a low level of insurgency.
But Afghanistan's defence minister expressed his disappointment on Sunday at the commander's statements, maintaining the insurgency had to be defeated. "I think this is the personal opinion of that commander," Abdul Rahim Wardak told reporters.
"The main objective of the Afghan government and the whole international community is that we have to defeat this war of terror and be successful," he said.
'Disappointing'
Wardak said success also depended on how British forces were approaching the problems they faced in Helmand but did not say whether their current strategy was the right one.
Asked if the commander's comments came as a disappointment, Wardak said: "Yes, it is disappointing, for sure."
Britain has around 8,000 troops based in Afghanistan, most of them in the volatile southern province of Helmand, where they face daily battles with a growing insurgency.
Share this article
Related Articles
Afghanistan
Rocket strike jolts Kabul hotel
Rocket hits outside Afghan luxury hotel
Suicide bomber kills 6 in Afghanistan
Karzai sworn in as Afghan president
Afghan official took bribe for China copper deal: US
Suicides in US Army to increase this year
New policy aimed at ending Afghan conflict, Obama says
New Afghanistan prison unveiled
More from World
News Editor's choice
-
Graham 'honoured to host' Palin for dinner
'America's pastor' had never met the former Alaska governor
-
Run-off to decide Romania president
New man in office vital to clinching much-needed IMF bailout loan
-
Cumbria mops up after severe flooding
Homes and businesses remain cut off
