London: Afghanistan's government would
collapse within weeks if NATO troops left the country right
away, Britain's Foreign Secretary David Miliband said in an
interview published today.
Miliband, who was in Afghanistan for the inauguration of
Afghan President Hamid Karzai this week, said insurgent forces
would quickly overrun Afghan troops if the international
community pulled out.
"If international forces leave, you can choose a time -
five minutes, 24 hours or seven days - but the insurgents
would overrun those forces that are prepared to put up
resistance and we would be back at square one," he told The
Guardian newspaper.
Karzai has said he expects Afghan forces to be able to
control the country within five years. Miliband said the
international community would stay as long as needed.
"Artificial timetables just give succour to your enemy,"
Miliband added.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown told lawmakers last week that
Britain remains committed to the Afghanistan mission - despite
some public calls for troops to be withdrawn amid a mounting
death toll. Some 235 British troops have died in Afghanistan
since operations began in 2001.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, November 21, 2009, 19:08