Hello Andy,Well, Blair may have committed a mistake but he has not been in government since 2010. Should he be held to account? I would say yes.But what happened last week in Afghanistan left me speechless and the responsibility falls squarely on the current British Government.It is interesting to read the intervention by Tobias Ellwood, the Conservative chair of the defence select committee:"Ellwood criticises what he calls a "false narrative" about the West's 20 years in Afghanistan, saying they did not give Afghans every opportunity to succeed and instead imposed hurdles and scored own goals.He describes the idea the US is leaving Afghanistan altogether as a myth, and suggests the CIA, special forces and drone patrols will remain, as the US is haunted by the idea of another 9/11.But Ellwood says the UK should have more confidence to pursue its own strategy. "We have the means, the hard power, the connections to lead. What we require is the backbone," Ellwood says."...Ellwood criticises what he calls a "false narrative" about the West's 20 years in Afghanistan, saying they did not give Afghans every opportunity to succeed and instead imposed hurdles and scored own goals.He describes the idea the US is leaving Afghanistan altogether as a myth, and suggests the CIA, special forces and drone patrols will remain, as the US is haunted by the idea of another 9/11.But Ellwood says the UK should have more confidence to pursue its own strategy. "We have the means, the hard power, the connections to lead. What we require is the backbone," Ellwood says.Yet when our moment comes we are found wanting. We have some serious questions to ask about our place in the world."
Ivonne Holliday ● 1630d