UK may need to develop military capabilities to operate without the U.S., Raab says

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's foreign minister Dominic Raab said the government may need to develop its capabilities so it can operate without the United States for specific future military missions.

Raab told a parliamentary committee that Britain had to pull its own forces from Afghanistan because there was no viable alternative coalition after U.S. President Joe Biden announced he was withdrawing American soldiers from the country.

"We need to look at our own capabilities," Raab told parliament's foreign affairs committee.

"One of the things we talked about was the importance and ability to operate in a more agile way. This is already part of the strategic analysis notwithstanding that, of course, the U.S. will remain our closest ally."

(Reporting by Paul Sandle and Kylie MacLellan)