John Prescott
As a
member of the Cabinet who sent British men and women to war
in Afghanistan, I gratefully welcome their final return.
Their bravery, determination and grace under fire cannot be underestimated. It came at too heavy a cost – 453 servicemen and women losing their lives.
I was with Tony Blair when I saw that second plane fly into the second Twin Tower. Tony said to me: “This will change world politics.”
I replied: “Not unless we settle the Palestine issue.”
We were told Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda was responsible. They had been based in Afghanistan, a country run by the Islamic extremists, the Taliban.
Both groups had links to the mujahedeen, who the US supported when Russia tried to re-establish the deposed secular government.
If the Taliban – a group as ruthless as ISIS – had handed over Bin Laden, then maybe this wouldn’t have happened. But they didn’t. The UN-backed war started.
We thought it would be over by Christmas 2001. But it waged on.
The Taliban fled to the mountains but fought on for over a decade. Those who took over – unscrupulous warlords and corrupt politicians – did little to win over hearts and minds.
So the US, the UK and other nations remained as a state security force to keep them in power, spending a trillion dollars and deploying over a million people.
Even the opportunity to finish the job and get Bin Laden was forgotten as President Bush and his hawkish deputy Dick Cheney moved on to other ‘unfinished business’ – the regime change of Saddam Hussein.
Afghanistan today has a promising leader in Ashraf Ghani who recognises he has to talk to, not destroy, the Taliban to get peace.
The West has always made a mess of interventionism in the Middle East. Shock and awe attacks turn into protracted ground campaigns.
I respect the thousands of gallant men and women who went to Afghanistan and Iraq to save lives and restore peace.
But they teach us that being the world’s policeman carries a heavy price and does not justify the heavy loss of lives.
Their bravery, determination and grace under fire cannot be underestimated. It came at too heavy a cost – 453 servicemen and women losing their lives.
I was with Tony Blair when I saw that second plane fly into the second Twin Tower. Tony said to me: “This will change world politics.”
I replied: “Not unless we settle the Palestine issue.”
We were told Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda was responsible. They had been based in Afghanistan, a country run by the Islamic extremists, the Taliban.
Both groups had links to the mujahedeen, who the US supported when Russia tried to re-establish the deposed secular government.
If the Taliban – a group as ruthless as ISIS – had handed over Bin Laden, then maybe this wouldn’t have happened. But they didn’t. The UN-backed war started.
We thought it would be over by Christmas 2001. But it waged on.
The Taliban fled to the mountains but fought on for over a decade. Those who took over – unscrupulous warlords and corrupt politicians – did little to win over hearts and minds.
So the US, the UK and other nations remained as a state security force to keep them in power, spending a trillion dollars and deploying over a million people.
Even the opportunity to finish the job and get Bin Laden was forgotten as President Bush and his hawkish deputy Dick Cheney moved on to other ‘unfinished business’ – the regime change of Saddam Hussein.
Afghanistan today has a promising leader in Ashraf Ghani who recognises he has to talk to, not destroy, the Taliban to get peace.
The West has always made a mess of interventionism in the Middle East. Shock and awe attacks turn into protracted ground campaigns.
I respect the thousands of gallant men and women who went to Afghanistan and Iraq to save lives and restore peace.
But they teach us that being the world’s policeman carries a heavy price and does not justify the heavy loss of lives.
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