The British in Afghanistan

The deaths of two British soldiers in Afghanistan earlier this week has sparked debate about Britain’s role in the war. The World’s Laura Lynch reports from London.
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MARCO WERMAN: British troops have been fighting in Helmand province for four years. In the current operation, 3000 British troops are trying to extend their control beyond the boundaries of the province’s capital. There have been no casualties reported so far, but Britain is mourning the deaths of two soldiers killed earlier this week before the operation started. One was the most senior British officer to die in combat since the Falklands War. The other was an 18-year-old enlisted man. The World’s Laura Lynch reports from London, where the deaths have highlighted the debate about the country’s role in Afghanistan.

LAURA LYNCH: Returning soldiers marching through the streets of Exodar and South Eastern England were returning heroes to the throngs of people welcoming them home today. No debate here about the value of the military or its mission in Afghanistan, but everyone is also acutely aware of the cost.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Marine Damien Jonathan Davies, Commando Logistic Regiment, Royal Marines. Sergeant John Henry Manuel, 45 Commando Royal Marines.

LAURA LYNCH: At a special service of remembrance in the city’s cathedral, an officer reads a role call of the soldiers who have died on Afghan soil, 171 in all. Two more names were added just yesterday. Trooper Joshua Hammond, and Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Thornaloe of the First Battalion Welsh Guards died when a roadside bomb blew up their vehicle. Prince Charles, the Colonel and Chief of the regiment for more than three decades was in attendance to honor the men.

PRINCE CHARLES: It’s a wonderful family, really, the regiment, and so everybody knows everybody. And having been involved for 34 years, I start to see, you know, the sons and the grandsons of people I’d first met 34 years ago, coming into the regiment. So, would imagine the shock and horror that has affected the whole of the regimental families being quite traumatic.

LAURA LYNCH: Britain has 9000 troops in Afghanistan, far fewer than the US does. But Prime Minster Gordon Brown insists British troops are more than pulling their weight.

GORDON BROWN: We are making a contributions, the sharing of the burdens is important around the world, and we will work with other countries to make sure that the Afghan elections go off fairly, and that there is a proper elected in democratic government. Which is what was never there years ago, has been possible as a result of the overthrow of the Taliban, and we must maintain and support that democracy.

LAURA LYNCH: Despite Brown’s boosterism, there’s an active debate about the country’s role in Afghanistan. Retired army colonel, Bob Stewart has heard some politicians and other officials question whether the mission is worth it, especially given the growing number of soldiers being killed or injured. Stewart says the war can be won, but only if the government pours more resources into the campaign.

BOB STEWART: The military believe we can win, provided we put the right resources and are constant in our determination to achieve the mission, which fundamentally is to make Afghanistan safer for its people, and safe for us so the Taliban don’t attack us, either Europe of the United States again.

LAURA LYNCH: There’s another reason why military leaders are so determined to carry on. The ghosts of Iraq haunt them, says Stewart, ghosts of a mission that was flawed to the point of failure.

BOB STEWART: Military officers, particularly senior military officers are a little ashamed about that, because, you know, we’re not used to, we’re not used to that sort of thing. Normally we’re used to success, and people saying how well we’ve done. It comes as pretty difficult, something hard to suck on when people suggest, actually, you didn’t do too well, you British.

LAURA LYNCH: In that sense, Afghanistan is Britain’s shot at redemption. Stewart believes the influx of US troops can only help achieve that goal.

BOB STEWART: Thank got for the Yanks, thank you Americans.

LAURA LYNCH: Even with US troops at their side, as long as British soldiers continue to die, the dispute over their mission in Afghanistan will carry on. For The World, I’m Laura Lynch, in London.

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