It follows a call by Col Richard Kemp, who commanded British troops in the country at the height of the war against the Taliban, for Prime Minister Theresa May to deploy at least 2,000 British front- line advisors to support beleaguered Afghan National Army forces.
Currently the UK has 500, with an additional 85 to be sent shortly.
Writing for the Sunday Express today Sir Richard Stagg, British Ambassador in Kabul from 2012-15, says the UK must be prepared to send even more troops – a number “ in line with our historic share of the Afghan mission” and we should be prepared to keep them for as long as it takes to ensure the country doesn’t revert to an “ungoverned space from which Daesh (ISIS) can thrive and threaten Britain.”
President Trump announced his intention to increase the number of US troops in Afghanistan in a keynote policy speech last week which overturned campaign pledges to totally withdraw from the country. Analysts say he took the advice of defence secretary Gen James Mattis and national security advisor Gen HR McMaster.
Sir Richard said: “We should respond positively to the President Trump’s request for us to contribute to an enhanced military presence to train and assist Afghan forces. He is pursuing a policy which is in our collective interest. And he is right to expect solidarity from key NATO allies. We should offer an increased UK contribution in line with our historic share of the Afghan mission.”
He added that Britain must also be prepared to tackle the issue of Pakistan which Trump said continued to “house the very terrorists we are fighting”.
“Safe havens in Pakistan have been critical to the Taliban’s ability to continue its insurgency,” said Sir Richard.
“Just as the IRA were able to use support in the Republic during the Northern Ireland conflict. The history of the last thirty years shows that changing Pakistani policy will be enormously difficult. But I don’t believe it’s impossible: we are asking Pakistan to pursue policies which are objectively in its own interests.”
His views were supported by James Cunningham, former US Ambassador to Afghanistan between 2012-14.
“What President Trump’s policy shift comes down to is a realisation of the stark consequences if the Afghanistan issue isn’t solved. It has been a view put forward by policy advisors since before the 2015 drawdown.”
According to IS estimates there are around 800 ISIS fighters. In Afghanistan, though, those numbers are expected to swell following their rout from Iraq.
“We have come full circle. We entered Afghanistan in 2001 to deal with al Qaeda training grounds after 9/11. Now we have the very real prospect of breeding grounds for ISIS and other Jihadi groups,” added Ambassador Cunningham.
“It’s true that President Trump hasn’t always made clear how much we value the support of our allies, but I would that the UK, in particular, looks at this seriously. The reality is that the challenges we’re dealing with don’t just affect us. They affect the international community. A coalition needs to be built and nourished.”
He said he agreed with former Afghanistan coalition commander General David Patreus that the US should look at Afghanistan with the same long- term commitment it has taken over the last 65 years in South Korea and Europe.
“We all have to realise that what we’re dealing with is a generational problem. There is no classic short term solution.
“I don’t want to be in Afghanistan for the next 70 years, but we have to be prepared to do what’s necessary for an indeterminate period of time.”
Col Richard Kemp, who commanded British forces in Afghanistan, said: “Since President Obama announced the drawdown we’ve seen the rise of ISIS’ influence there. The Taliban remains a problem but it’s ISIS that poses a threat to Britain and there’s no doubt they plan to increase their numbers following their exit from Iraq and, eventually, Syria.
“The Afghan National Army numbers 350,000, a sizeable force. Though they have been trained, there are institutional problems within it. They still need US and British advisors. I think we should be considering upping the symbolic 585 we have now to at least 2,000.
“Make no mistake: these advisors will have to fight alongside the ANA on the front line, and there may well be casualties. But soldiers join the Army to fight and there’s an appetite to see the job done; to justify the sacrifices so many have made since 2001.
“It’s a matter of national security. If we don’t take care of the problem over there, we will have to deal with it over here.”