PM: British Forces Have Paid a 'Very High Price' for Afghan Stability
The new president of Afghanistan has thanked the families of 453 British soldiers killed in the fight against the Taliban, as David Cameron paid an unannounced visit to the country. Ashraf Ghani told a joint press conference the Afghan people would remember that the UK stood "shoulder to shoulder" with them, and insisted that the military campaign had kept London safe.
The Prime Minister, the first world leader to meet the freshly-installed president, acknowledged that the armed forces had paid a "very high price" for bringing "stability" to the country over the past 13 years. But he said driving out al Qaida had been in Britain's "national interest", and stressed that Afghanistan would not be "left alone" as UK troops pull out by the end of this year.
Mr Cameron said there was no prospect of the UK going back to fight in Afghanistan. "We are not going to send combat troops back to Afghanistan, because we have trained up an effective Afghan army and Afghan police force. It has been hard, patient work."
Expressing gratitude to injured British soldiers and the families of those killed, Mr Ghani said: "I would like to say thank you to those families for the loss of their loved ones. They stood shoulder to shoulder with us and we will remember. But remember what brought us together at first was tragedy. 9/11 was followed by attacks on London. Your presence here has meant that London has been safe, as well as the rest of the world. We face joint threats. There cannot be Fortress Europe or Fortress America. We live, whether we like it or not, in an integrated world where global forces both for good and for evil coexist. We in Afghanistan are suffering from the ugly side of globalisation, whether it is drugs, or whether it is criminal networks, or whether it is networks of extremists."
Before visiting Afghanistan Mr Cameron visited RAF Akrotiri to meet Tornado Pilots and the Personnel involved in Operation Shader.
David Cameron has been here at #RAF Akrotiri this eve. Meeting Tornado pilots and some of 300 personnel involved in #OPSHADER@Forces_TV
— Simon Newton (@reporternewton) October 2, 2014PM thanks #RAF at #Akrotiri for helping defeat "barbaric ISIL terrorists". Announces 2 more Tornados being sent here #IS@Forces_TV
— Simon Newton (@reporternewton) October 2, 2014David #Cameron also announces this #RAF squadron (II AC) won't be stood down in April as planned. Extending life by a year. @Forces_TV
— Simon Newton (@reporternewton) October 2, 2014Extra 2 #RAF Tornados will be here at #Akrotiri by weekend taking total to 8. @Forces_TV#IraqAIRSTRIKES
— Simon Newton (@reporternewton) October 2, 2014Understand one pressing reason for extending life of II Sqn is that the #Typhoon hasn't yet been adapted to carry #Brimstone@Forces_TV
— Simon Newton (@reporternewton) October 2, 2014PM: "Today is about thanking our brave airmen and women. We should never forget the sacrifices they make to make Britain safer." @Forces_TV
— Simon Newton (@reporternewton) October 2, 2014#PM also says UK delivering a training pkg to #Iraqi forces with British 'advisors' on the ground assessing their needs #IS@Forces_TV
— Simon Newton (@reporternewton) October 2, 2014#RAF 2 Sqn currently have 12 #Tornado pilots and 12 navigators here at #Akrotiri. Both extra 2 jets will come from RAF Marham. @Forces_TV
— Simon Newton (@reporternewton) October 2, 2014#RAF 2 Sqn is oldest fixed wing sqn in world - 1st to carry aerial cameras in 1914. Completed final tour of #Afghanistan this yr @Forces_TV
— Simon Newton (@reporternewton) October 2, 2014And he was gone. PM and press pack fly out of #Akrotiri.On the ground for about 1.5 hours. @Forces_TV
— Simon Newton (@reporternewton) October 2, 2014Join Our Newsletter
