UK Ministry of Defence,
Speaking to the BBC ahead of a meeting between NATO Defence Ministers in Poland today, Defence Secretary John Hutton said that some European countries ought to be contributing more to efforts in Afghanistan.
Mr Hutton welcomed the announcement that extra US troops will be sent to Afghanistan but warned it would be bad for the long term future of NATO if the Americans were left to “do all the heavy lifting”.
In the interview Mr Hutton also reiterated that the UK Government, NATO as a whole, and in particular European members, have to look very carefully at what more can be done to support the campaign in Afghanistan.
When asked if Britain is in a position to send more troops to Afghanistan, if that is what is requested, Mr Hutton said:
“Well, we haven't received any such request yet, and we obviously keep our force levels in Afghanistan under literally constant review, because we have an obligation… a duty of care, if you like, to make sure that our operations are being conducted as safely as possible; and if there's a need, either for more troops or for more equipment, obviously we look very, very seriously at that.
“But, I think, there's no doubt at all that these additional troops levels that the American administration have announced are going to make a very positive difference to security in Afghanistan.
“We welcome that, and I've been saying for some time, the UK Government has as well, that NATO as a whole, and particularly European members of NATO, have to look very carefully at what more can be done to support the campaign in Afghanistan.”
He continued by saying that contributions don't necessarily need to come in the form of combat troops, but could be in the form of helping train the Afghan Army and the Afghan Police:
“That ultimately is essential to our own exit strategy from Afghanistan,” he said, “because we have to develop a capability for the Afghans themselves to deal with the threat of these extremists and terrorists.
“But I think the ball is in our court. I think we've got to look very carefully at what more we can do to support US leadership in Afghanistan, and I know that's going to be the subject of our discussions here in Poland today.”
Mr Hutton said that he hopes the announcement by US President Obama that an additional 17,000 US soldiers would be deployed to Afghanistan would concentrate minds in Poland:
“I think there's a decision day coming about our mission and our role in Afghanistan. We've got to be clear that we've got to succeed there, because that's vital for UK national security, that we prevent that country coming back into the clutches of al-Qaeda and the jihadists who would, if they could, and if they could develop the capability, strike us right here in the UK, so we've got to look at all of these options.
“There can be no question other than NATO succeeding in Afghanistan, and we've got a responsibility, all of us, to support the leadership that President Obama is showing, and to see what more we can do to make sure that campaign succeeds.”
When asked if he thinks there is any political will amongst his European leaders to step up to the plate in the way that the Obama administration would like, Mr Hutton said:
“Well I think there is undoubtedly a determination here to make sure that we support the leadership that the Americans are showing. And I think… I hope over the next few weeks that will come through in additional commitments that countries will make, because there is no doubt in my mind that there is more that some countries in Europe can be, and ought to be, doing in Afghanistan.
“I mean, for example, just one very obvious example: we've got literally thousands of helicopters in Europe serving European armed forces; we've got a pitifully few amount of those in Afghanistan, and more helicopters would make an immediate difference to the way we conduct operations, and the safety of them.
“So I think there is undoubtedly more that needs to be done, and I'm going to spend my time here conveying that message to my European counterparts, and we've got no choice, in my view, but to now respond to the leadership that the Americans are showing.
“This is absolutely essential that we get behind what President Obama is doing, and we ourselves don't get in the position, which I think would be very bad for NATO's long term future, where we are prepared to see the Americans do all the heavy lifting, and we go off and do something else. That is not what an alliance should be about, and I hope that's not where we end up.”
