John McDonnell
British troops in Afghanistan and Iraq
Yesterday in the Commons, John Redwood pressed the Secretary of State for Defence, Des Browne, on what can be done to supply British troops in Afghanistan and Iraq with the support and equipment they so clearly need. The following is taken from Hansard:
Des Browne: I commend my hon. Friend and the other right hon. and hon. Members who have taken the time and trouble to visit our forces in Afghanistan. I realise that not everyone can do that—it depends on a degree of support from the Ministry and from the troops in that country—but those who have had that experience are consistent not only in their praise for what is being done but in bringing back the message that our troops on the ground are in no doubt of the value of what they are doing, despite the manifest and obvious dangers. They are in no doubt about the contribution they are making, and daily they see the improvements in Helmand province, which are sometimes falsely measured against metrics that we here in London set for them. The best way to assess whether our troops are making a difference to the people of Helmand province and Afghanistan is to ask them, and they are in no doubt about that.
Mr. John Redwood (Wokingham) (Con): But will the Secretary of State accept that the loss of life and serious injury in both Afghanistan and Iraq is running at far too high a level for any of us to be complacent or comfortable? Will he, with his military advisers, look again at what other measures can be taken in terms of support, equipment, back-up and evasive action to give our troops a greater chance of surviving?
Des Browne: I share the right hon. Gentleman’s regret at any loss of life. The loss of any soldier is a tragedy. The loss of any innocent life is a source of profound regret. There is no complacency on my part about the loss of any life—far from it. I devote a significant amount of my time as Secretary of State for Defence, and have done for the past 14 months, to doing precisely what he asks me to do. I consider every day whether what we are doing in Afghanistan is the right thing to do and whether we are doing it in the right way. He and all other Members of the House can rest assured that our forces’ protection, security of life and progress in development are uppermost in my mind.
