AFGHANISTAN
The Royal Welch Fusiliers in north-east Nad-e-Ali region of Helmand province
Walking away now would not solve the
problem but compound it. It would risk recreating chaos in which terrorism could re-establish itself. Failure would deal a se- rious blow to the credibility of the UK, NATO and the international system, dam- age regional stability and would hand victory to violent extremism with all that would entail. There is no purely military solution to
Afghanistan’s problems. NATO’s strategy is designed to set the security conditions for the success of a broader political strategy, led by the Afghans themselves, and sup- ported by the UN. Long-term stability depends on an Af-
ghan government that can sustain its own security, offer its own people a representa- tive government, bring about the condi- tions for economic growth and play a con- structive role in the region.
Transition is not the same as withdrawal; international forces will remain to support the Afghans as long as they are needed
More than 70 countries and interna-
tional organisations attended the London Conference in January 2010 and con- firmed their support for a clear, realistic and achievable strategy to help the Afghan government set their country on a path to- wards stability and increased prosperity. At the heart of our strategy is a process of
gradual transition of security responsibility from the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to the Afghan government and their security forces, with ISAF moving to a supporting role. The speed of transi- tion will depend upon an assessment of conditions, province by province, and the
judgment of military commanders and the Afghan government. But we hope that the first provinces will transition in late 2010/ early 2011. The Afghan government have themselves said that they want to assume security responsibility for the whole of Af- ghanistan within five years, and we sup- port this aim. Transition is not the same as withdrawal;
international forces will remain to support the Afghans for as long as they are needed. Sustainable security is the key to transition. And we are making real progress. Since his appointment as ISAF Com-
mander last year, General McChrystal has injected new energy and determination into the military campaign in Afghanistan. He has put protecting the Afghan people and developing the Afghan National Secu- rity Forces’ capabilities at his plan’s heart. By focussing on the people, we will
84 SHOW YOUR SUPPORT
www.armedforcesday.org.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100