British support for the war in Afghanistan is waning as lack of results become apparent. Bob Ainsworth blames the lack of support for the war effort among British citizens as a result of Obama’s policies. Lack of direction may lead to a British withdrawal from the coalition.
In a step unprecedented Ainsworth has laid blame directly on President Obama’s lack of decisiveness in making decisions and setting goals. This combined with the public demand for the withdrawing of troops, even with the goal of preventing Afghanistan from reverting to a terrorist strong hold. Prime Minister Gordon Brown has promised an exit strategy as soon as next year.
An increasing death toll, along with reports of corruption and the President’s delay in sending more troops has added to more public disapproval for further deployments. This move by Ainsworth and Brown’s decision to release the Lockerbie bomber-which prompted President Obama to snub Brown at the UN- further strained trans-Atlantic relations.
Britain currently has 9000 troops and will send 500 more, suffering 98 deaths this year, a surge that may have been instigated in an effort to sway President Obama’s indecision. However Ainsworth is confident that once the American troop increase goes through the British public will be swayed to support the continued effort.
“I hope and believe that we are about to get an announcement from the USA on troop numbers and I think that that will be followed by contributions from many other NATO allies and so we will be able to show that we are going forward in this campaign to an extent that we have not been able to in recent months with those issues still hanging,” Ainsworth said.
As the current state of things stands it is unknown whether American contributions can keep up with demand. But with the EU emerging as a power bloc on the world stage per its’ increased taxation powers and proposals for an EU military force, the problem may be a moot point.
The future in regards to Afghanistan also remains nebulous: despite years of military intervention on both sides of the Afghanistan/Pakistan border Islamic militants remain a severe threat.
Perhaps Britain still gauges the threat in light of their Anglo-Afghan wars and from having a long history of fighting "insurgents" from America to Ireland to India.
Written by Seamus Esparza
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