UK's Jeremy Corbyn Admits What Most in US Won't: "War in Afghanistan Has Failed"

Published on

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

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Common Dreams

'After 16 years of bloodshed and destruction,' says Labour leader, "the Taliban are undefeated and terrorism is no less of a threat."

by

Jon Queally, staff writer

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Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn talks to members of Women Against State Pension Inequality Campaign (WASPI) during his visit to Cleveleys Community Centre on August 18, 2017 in Blackpool, England. On Tuesday, Corbyn warned UK Prime Minister Theresa May against applauding Trump's plan for an escalated war in Afghanistan. (Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

The sitting generals like it. The retired generals who dominate corporate news shows appear to like it. The Beltway Establishment is impressed. Democrats like Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia want "more details." The neoconservatives really like it. And the weapons manufacturers are liking it all the way to the bank.

But on Tuesday, in the wake of President Donald Trump's newly announced strategy for the U.S. war in Afghanistan, British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said the new plan would only continue the "failure" of American policy in South Asia and called on Prime Minister Theresa May not to "obediently applaud" her approval nor jump on board to join in the folly.

Jeremy Corbyn 

✔@jeremycorbyn

After 16 years of bloodshed and destruction, the Taliban are undefeated and terrorism is no less of a threat at home http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/jeremy-corbyn-urges-theresa-not-11032609 …

9:00 PM - Aug 22, 2017

Jeremy Corbyn urges PM not to 'obediently applaud' Trump's Afghanistan surge

The US President signalled an increase in troops and funding - and called on Britain and other allies to follow suit

mirror.co.uk

"The war in Afghanistan has failed," Corbyn told the Mirror. "After 16 years of bloodshed and destruction, the Taliban are undefeated and terrorism is no less of a threat at home. In fact it has spread. The British Government should make clear to Donald Trump that his strategy of more bombing and a new troop surge will continue this failure, not obediently applaud his latest policy U-turn."'

While the U.S. certainly has outspoken critics of the war—some of them in Congress and many of them consistent in their opposition—few prominent politicians, journalists, or political observers have been willing to decry the nation's longest war as the misadventure it is.

According to the Guardian, the UK government has no current plans to increase its troops levels in Afghanistan even as the Associated Press reported Tuesday afternoon that Trump's plan will call for approximately 3,900 troops, some of which could arrive in the country "within days."

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