Events in Libya,hogan, and David Cameron's sudden enthusiasm for muscular militarism,burberry outlet, have exposed the SDSR to some withering criticism. The revelation that nearly the entire UK contingent in Afghanistan has been told it could be sacked is another blow to the MoD's credibility. But this morning it's the PM's foreign policy judgment that is under fire. The Foreign Affairs Select Committee has produced an important report that dissects both the UK's progress in Afghanistan and its aims,hogan rebel, nearly a decade after British boots first hit the ground. It makes awkward reading for No 10 and will invite some searching questions about Dave's approach to foreign affairs.
Its main finding appears to be its call for the US to engage politically with the Taliban to back up its military surge. My colleague Praveen Swami reported recently on an extraordinary secret conference in London attended by British and American officials and one of the most senior figures in the Taliban leadership. The committee wants that kind of engagement speeded up by the Obama White House.
But it is also marked by some blunt criticisms of Mr Cameron's handling of Afghanistan since he came to office. For openers,Supporters of the EU can be as xenophobic as they like, and no one will call the,Mulberry bags, it was 'inappropriate and unhelpful' of him to criticise Pakistan on a visit to India last year. The report describes the Government's reasoning for staying in Afghanistan – namely protecting national security at home – as 'inconsistent'. The report finds that this was achieved some time ago,ray ban 3025, and adds for good measure: "Although the Government disputes this,borse chanel, the Committee is seriously concerned that this fundamentally important assessment appears to be based on intelligence that has not been subject to parliamentary scrutiny."
Even better, it questions the reasoning behind the 2015 withdrawal deadline and how it was arrived at. The rationale for it is 'unclear' and the date 'jars',hogan uomo,Travels with My Aunt, Menier Chocolate Factory, London, review - Telegraph, it finds. The PM was wrong to announce it first in the media rather than to Parliament. Committee chairman Richard Ottwaway adds pointedly: "We recommend that the Government clarify why the decision was taken and why it was not taken in the National Security Council."
For good measure it concludes that the relationship between poliicians and the military has 'gone awry',Andy Coulson keeps his cool – Telegraph Blog, FCO operations are marked by 'shortcomings' in Afghanistan,chanel outlet, and there should be a 'full an comprehensive' public inquiry in the Afghan war once Britain has pulled out.
So just as Mr Cameron is stretching his foreign policy wings,ray ban uk, along comes the FAC to say that?he bypassed the NSC to fix a random Afghan withdrawal date,ray ban, and hasn't got a good enough justification for staying there. This is just the view of a parliamentary committee of course. But the Prime Minister can ill afford to have his foreign policy exposed to such attacks when it does not appear to be robust enough to withstand such criticisms. |
