Rochdale MEP demands Afghanistan withdrawal

Chris Davies MEP

A Rochdale Liberal Democrat MEP is urging deputy-prime minister Nick Clegg to back the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.

Chris Davies wrote in a letter to the Lib-Dem leader:

"One reason why 77% of people in this country tell pollsters that they want our troops out of Afghanistan is because they either do not know what are the objectives for their presence or do not believe that these can be achieved. I share these doubts."

He added: “It has been claimed that our presence in Afghanistan is intended to keep safe the streets of Britain. I do not believe this case can be sustained.

“Our soldiers are easily portrayed as foreign invaders who should be resisted by Afghan patriots, and our presence in the country may not only contribute to instability there but increase the risk of maverick attacks on people here.”

He concluded: “There will be no happy ending to our involvement in Afghanistan. At some point we will start to withdraw our forces, and in years to come we shall question why we did not take this step this at an earlier date. Let it commence now, before still more lives have been lost for no good purpose.”