Des Browne indicates intention to remain despite failed strategy and worsening situation

London, UK, January 14th 2008 – Speaking about the UK’s occupation of Afghanistan, Defence Secretary Des Browne yesterday said it "is a commitment which could last decades". His comments were an explicit acknowledgment from a western Government that hostility to occupation and the instability wrought by the US-led invasion was so great that foreign troops may remain in Afghanistan for the next twenty years. Britain is currently constructing a huge military base in Helmand province, a sign of its intention to remain as a colonial occupier for decades.

Commenting on Mr Browne’s statements, Dr Imran Waheed, Media representative of Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain said: "Six years after the invasion, the installation of a client regime and the deaths of thousands of people, the British government refuses to admit that the new colonial ‘Great Game’ between the US, the UK and Russia to exploit Afghanistan’s strategic assets is central to its problems."

"Corruption, poverty and insecurity have all worsened in Afghanistan under occupation and violent incidents are up 20% in the past year. This ‘free, democratic’ Afghanistan has levels of poverty comparable to sub-Saharan Africa and now has 120,000 women and 60,000 children who are amongst its new drug users, giving a meaning to ‘liberation’ that is entirely in keeping with intervention by liberal capitalist states. In stark contrast, almost half of the US’s aid budget goes directly to boosting the profits of five US contractors."

"Western governments will never admit that their repeated intervention – trying to ‘fix’ what they broke – only creates more problems. They show no signs of wanting to leave the Muslim world to shape its own future and political destiny. Stability can only come when a system of government enjoys the trust and confidence of the people and that will only come when Islam lies at the heart of that system. People want to choose their rulers rather than being forced to accept stooges who represent foreign interests."

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