A South Wales daily newspaper has called for the immediate withdrawal of British troops from Afghanistan.
The South Wales Argus issued the plea in an editorial following the death of the 400th British soldier in the long-running conflict last week.
New editor Kevin Ward personally wrote the leader column published in Friday’s edition in which he argued that too many young lives had already been lost.
It was followed a day later by a page one story featuring a bereaved mum’s call for the troops to come home.
Kevin, who took over as Argus editor earlier this month, wrote: “The 400th UK death is a milestone that should make us all stop and ask how long this can continue.
“We have to question why British soldiers remain in Afghanistan. Is it to build up the Afghan military and police to a point where they can protect their country themselves? Is it to shore up the Karzai regime? Is it to improve and modernise Afghan society?
“If it is the first, then the job needs to be completed as soon as possible, even if it is not fully complete; if it is the second or third, then we question whether these policies are desirable or achievable.
“Too many young lives have been lost. It is now time to get our troops home.”
Kevin told HTFP: “I just felt the 400th death – and the fact that that figure was reached with six deaths in one incident – was a bit of a tipping point in terms of public opinion.
“I don’t think people are unsupportive of our troops – anything but – they just want them out of a situation that seems increasingly out of control and has a muddled political mission.”
Kevin said it was too early to gauge overall reader reaction to the editorial although there had been a few letters of support.
However Newport Labour MP Paul Flynn praised the newspaper in a Tweet saying: “Congratulations to South Wales Argus’ call to repatriate UK soldiers from Afghan war Ending mission impossible is best tribute to the brave.”
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You can’t fault the sentiments I suppose, just doesn’t seem the best-argued or intelligently-written article on the subject that I have read. All for local media trying to do something positive, it’s like trying to fight tanks with horses compared to what the heavyweight media can come up with. Still, at least it’s an effort
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nice try but a few years and several hundred deaths too late. Seems the politicians never learn from history but then they don’t get killed. Afghanistan always sends invaders packing in the end.
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As a former Army officer, now journalist, I understand the sentiments behind the article but it is misplaced. Having interviewed the families of those who have lost loved ones, and those who have been badly injured in battle, the overriding sentiment is for us to leave before the job in Afghanistan is done would be a complete betrayal of the sacrifices so many have made.
The Editor claims he has tapped into a groundswell of public opinion to pull the troops out – I have personally seen little evidence of this.
I suspect, and call my cynical, this is more about the paper rattling its own sabre in the interests of publicity than any concerted or meaningful campaign.
Perhaps the paper’s efforts should be focussed on supporting those overseas, and just as importantly, punishing those politicians who sent in our troops under-resourced and under-equipped.
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I think Army Man has hit the nail on the head on all fronts!
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Frankly this smacks of nothing more than grandstanding from the paper
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