Nato 'must accept responsibility' for Afghanistan

Tony Blair calls on Nato allies to commit more troops to Afghanistan deployment

Wednesday, 13, Sep 2006 12:00

All the Nato countries should regard the work British troops are doing in Afghanistan as "their responsibility", Tony Blair argued today.

Members of the alliance are meeting today in Belgium to discuss how to respond to military commanders' request for 2,500 more troops in the country.

Reports suggest that European leaders are unlikely to pledge any more forces to join the 18,500 already in Afghanistan, most of them American, British or Canadian.

But speaking at a press conference with the Chinese premier today, Mr Blair urged his Nato allies to accept the "fundamental importance" of the soldiers' work.

"The British commitment in Afghanistan is important – they are inflicting real damage on the Taliban and al-Qaida. But it is important that the whole of Nato regards this as their responsibility," he told reporters.

"We should never forget that the reason our troops are in Afghanistan along with other countries is because out of Afghanistan came the terrorism of September 11th – al-Qaida training camps were the reason we went there.

"It is of fundamental importance to the security of this country to make sure that the job in Afghanistan is done well…Our troops are fighting in difficult conditions but they are fighting brilliantly."

US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice yesterday warned Nato members that failing to support operations in Afghanistan ran the risk of it becoming a "failed state" as it did following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the previous occupiers, in the 1980s.

"We owe it to the people of Afghanistan to help them finish the job," she said.

This morning, shadow defence secretary Liam Fox warned Nato was facing a "crisis of resolve" and said members must remember why they were in Afghanistan.

"We cannot allow Afghanistan to become a breeding ground for al-Qaida again and we cannot allow the Taliban to destroy the human rights of the Afghan people," he said.

"Those Nato countries who are genuinely concerned about security and human rights need to understand that now is the time to act. Nato's reputation is on the line.

"Those who do not have the political resolve to fully commit to success should ponder the strategic cost of failure."

British troops moved into southern Afghanistan in March to help the Kabul government tackle the drug trade, but they have faced unexpected opposition, leading to the deaths of 35 soldiers since the deployment began.

Liberal Democrat leader Menzies Campbell added: "If Nato countries are unwilling to provide sufficient forces and equipment to enable the existing strategy to be fully implemented, the strategy may well have to be rethought.

"What is not sustainable in the long run is for the UK to shoulder a disproportionate burden in Afghanistan."