Afghanistan

For once I agree with the majority of voices in the Welsh blogosphere calling for a withdrawal from Afghanistan. I support a withdrawal on one condition, that condition is that Afghanistan is left for the people of Afghanistan without the threat of being squashed by the Islamic bigots of the Taliban.

I believe that immediate withdrawal is a pipe dream of the antiwar mob, who care less for the people of Afghanistan than the 'warmongers' they protest.

Why?

Because an immediate withdrawal will cause more deaths and a catastrophic cave-in to the extremists in that nation and around the globe. In terms of the emancipation of women, the removal of the Taliban as government, the destruction of Al-Qaeda's Afghan power bases and the improvement in human rights for the victims of both Taliban and Al-Qaeda actions the Afghan campaign has had successes.

Before we leave, we must ensure that there is one last success. That success is making sure that the Taliban and their ways are not given the chance to take hold again. That women need keep the rights that they have gained, that children are allowed schooling, that other religions aren't persecuted and that the Afghan nation doesn't revert to being a terrorist safe haven. This will require decisive actions both militarily and politically. Leaving the Afghans in the lurch is not an option. The sooner we leave the better but this shouldn't be at the cost of the people of Afghanistan. We owe them far more than that.

What has really upset me with some of the commentary on the issue is the amount of those who are so 'antiwar' that they are demanding the immediate withdrawal of military force no matter what the consequences. That supposedly 'liberal' 'human rights' activists would happily sit back in their comfortable armchairs in the west whilst the Afghan people would be plunged into civil war and despair. How many women's rights activists will cheer the immediate return of our troops whilst keeping silent on the almost inevitable loss of rights for women that that action would take? What will be their reaction when women are shot in sports stadiums again ? What will be their reaction when they start murdering religious and ethnic minorities in large numbers again?

Depressingly, I can anticipate it.

Apathy.

My heart goes out to those suffering the loss of their fine sons of the British Forces and it also goes out to the brave Afghans who fight alongside them. Let's not forget what they're fighting for and what we need to deliver. Moral hand wringing won't deliver Afghans what they deserve. Freedom.