Advertisement

Afghanistan's dangerous problems are a reminder that Britain cannot retreat from the world

Afghanistan's dangerous problems are a reminder that Britain cannot retreat from the world

Sir Michael Fallon, the Defence Secretary, deserves credit for speaking so candidly about the condition of Afghanistan and the possible consequences for Britain. The country is a base for international terrorists who mean us harm, he says. He also suggests that the “collapse” of the fragile state could send millions of young Afghan men west in a new European migration crisis that would inevitably affect Britain.  

This is a grim picture, but all the more so because it comes more than 15 years after British troops were sent into Afghanistan in the wake of the September 11 attacks on the US.

Their mission, at first, was to render ineffective an international terrorist group that meant us harm; yet today, al Qaeda and its descendants remain active. Later, the British mission shifted to one of nation-building, reinforcing Afghanistan’s fragile government and desperate economy to avoid precisely the sort of collapse Sir Michael now talks about. 

To some, the lack of significant progress in Afghanistan will be proof that Western military interventions in poor and unstable countries are doomed to fail. Iraq, and more recently Libya, might also be cited as evidence for that case. And all three interventions have been flawed, suffering from a lack of clear political leadership and, in some cases, poor military planning.

To those who believe Britain has no business trying to remake the world, Theresa May’s professed scepticism about wars of intervention will be a welcome shift in approach when it comes to foreign policy.  Yet healthy scepticism about military adventurism does not mean a British retreat from the world.

Sir Michael’s words are a stark reminder that whether we like it or not, the consequences of previous Western interventions continue to this day.

They must be dealt with, not ignored. So Britain should indeed go on working to support a democratic government in Afghanistan, including by aiding its security forces if needed.

Iraq, where government forces are pushing back Islamic militants in Mosul, shows that eventually and with continued Western backing, local military units can take responsibility for securing their country. 

Britain’s role in Afghanistan must continue, and may have to expand. If that means spending more on our Armed Forces, so be it.

The world is, and always has been, a dangerous place. It has never been Britain’s way to hide from those dangers: we must always stand ready to confront them.  

British troops Afghanistan