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comments from readers

Bedfordstitch
13 July 2009

no

The troops have to stay until the mission is completed and the talliban are defeated to such a point that they are unable to pose a threat to the people who live in afghanistan.

Lisa Watkinson
13 July 2009

yes

I really don't believe that the situation in Afganistan will be resolved and whilst there is no resolution our troops and others are being killed on a daily basis.
Lisa Watkinson

jason from weymouth
13 July 2009

yes

Afghanistan - the final frontier. To seek out a land that no person has successfully conquered before and apart frm dropping countless nuclear warheads on it, probably never will. Brown needs to stop working for the neo cons and News International and start working for the interests of Britain and the wider world. Bush and Blair must be consigned to the graveyard of puppet politicians of which the U.S. has numerous. Brown must not let Cameron give the gullable electorate the impression that the Tory's are anything other than a populist, do anything to get into power and feather their own nests party. Afghanistan must not be the new Vietnam and Brown should not want to be the next Lyndon Johnson (even if his social programme was at least well intentioned). Get out now!

jacqdaw
13 July 2009

no

If we pull the troops out now, then what was the point of the brave young men dying. Ask the troops.

Bob AH
13 July 2009

no

This fight has to be won otherwise the Taliban and Al Qa’eda will be able to seek refuge on both sides of the border with Pakistan simply moving across as each country tries to deny them access. But it is time that our NATO allies offered more support if not in ground troops then in helicopters and other equipment. Substantial support by the Afghan army would be useful too because they will have to secure and hold the territory when NATO withdraws. For the Afghan government to have foreign troops gain control of Helmund province without having their own military presence there will show them to be toothless and unable to assert control in their own country.

barstep
14 July 2009

no

We should finish what we've started or the country will be worse off than it was.

david.goss3@btinternet.com
14 July 2009

yes

I am 85 years old and has there ever been a time when there was no conflict in Afganistan.? My father and grandfather served in that region so work it out . How many more years will it take for the decision to get out and save precious lives.

showboater29@aol.com
14 July 2009

yes

Why are they there?

William
15 July 2009

no

Taliban will stop the production of Opium which will cause the disintergtation of Pakistan economy. Encourage the production of designer drugs in the US and UK, which cannot be controlled and will run amok in the cities.
America will find it difficult to carry on without Uk involvment, this will put on hold plans for North American Union, which is tantamount to creating NWO.

Astrid Essed
15 July 2009

yes

Dear Editor and Readers,
Not only the British-American attack on Afghanistan had been illegal, since there had been no substantial proof whatsoever [untill today substantial proof is still lacking] has given for the Afghan of even Al Qaeda involvement for 11-9-2001, also the necessary UN Security Mandate was lacking
Moreover, as well as the USA as the UK have commited serious war-crime during the Afghanistan attack, among else by the use of internationally forbidden clusterbombs, generating landmines
The occupation, which followed thereafter is illegal, since any military presence on a foreign country is contrary with the fundamental acknowledged right on self destination
Since this occupation is illegal and has led to oppression, human rights violations and war-crimes, it is high time, the British troops shall leave Afghanistan, as all foreign troops, including the Dutch
Kind regards
Astrid Essed
Amsterdam
The Netherlands

Nilsey105
16 July 2009

yes

The history of foreign powers waging war upon Afghanistan teaches us all, if we choose, to take notice, the winner is always Afghanistan.
The British,the Soviet Union and the latest fools to make the attempt , a NATO coalition have all failed and will continue to do so.
The excuse as to why we are fighting the Taliban is the threat of terror the Taliban pose to the streets of the UK.
This is pure scare tactics and nothing else. As a scare tactic it is bound up with a multitude of other scares we are constantly warned of.

17 July 2009

no

No, not yet - but we should give warning to our other Nato co-belligerents (Germany , France et al) that we will shortly withdraw our forces from Afghanistan unless they all do their fair share of the fighting. It appears that only the USA and the UK are willing to fight!

Alan Briggs, Cambridge

Stuart
17 July 2009

no

This is an important and legitimate campaign that needs to be seen through - most particularly giving the Afghan Army the security and the training to hold their own. The majority do not want a return of the Taliban, and neither do we. There is a commonality of interest. Those who vote Yes have the same mindset as those who appeased Hitler.

Freeman
17 July 2009

yes

jacqdaw: 'If we pull the troops out now, then what was the point of the brave young men dying. Ask the troops.' So, whether the war is right or wrong more have to die to justify the deaths of those who have already died. That is the logic of the asylum.

rupashah
18 July 2009

yes

rms
Not only UK but all the troops must leave Afghanistan. It was a big mistake to go in, in the first place. War has never solved any problems and never will. It brings and will bring more violence and the biggest losers are the innocent civilians specially the women and children.

Peter Bond
19 July 2009

yes

The invasion of Afghanistan was no more justified than Hitler's invasion of Poland. At most a proportionate retaliation for 9/11 may have been justified, i.e. bombing Al-Qaeda training camps & killing at most 3000 people.

Les Bright
19 July 2009

yes

This is surely the most confused and confusing of TB's many wars. There is no longer any consensus on why we are there and a growing number of reasons for getting out at the very earliest opportunity.

BritishCitizen
19 July 2009

yes

Why do we think that we're the world's policemen any longer? Let the Afghans and whoever wants to help them put their own houses in order. While we have homelessness, lack of housing and street crime in the UK we need to help our own society first and foremost.