Western Morning News (Saturday)
Veterans proud to have given ‘a taste of freedom’
VETERANS who have served in Afghanistan have told of their sadness and anger at the collapse of a country they fought for.
In total, 457 British personnel lost their lives in the conflict in the country after Nato forces entered in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001 to deny Al-Qaeda a base for further operations.
As troops withdrew this month the overthrown Taliban rapidly took back territory and Kabul, effectively gaining control over the country.
An Afghanistan war veteran who served in a Plymouth-based Army Reserves unit has described the Taliban regaining power in Kabul as “predictable” – but remains adamant that veterans should not see their time in the country as a waste of time.
Charles Addison, of 3 Commando Brigade, served in Afghanistan from 2008 to 2009 and says he predicted as far back as 2010 that the Taliban would be resurgent one day.
The former Royal Marine said: “The situation now, it was predictable. It doesn’t come as a surprise, I imagine, to the Afghan people.
“When I was there, the governor of Helmand province predicted it was going to take the Taliban 24 hours to retake [provincial capital] Lashkar Gah when ISEF [International Security Assistance Force] troops withdrew. So this sort of ANA [Afghanistan National Army] collapse is not out of the blue. At the highest levels of Afghan government, they were predicting this.”
The soldier from Cornwall said veterans should feel proud that they were able to “give a generation of Afghans a taste of freedom” and their efforts not “all in vain”, but he admitted that everything British soldiers had worked towards being lost has been “desperately sad”.
One former Royal Marine, Paul Buxton, said: “At the time it was worthwhile and to see it [the country] grow. But all that loss of life.”
The veteran added: “It was not for nothing, though, there was a 20-year reprieve with education and medical services. Progress was slow, but no doubt it will be straight back to how it was.”
Another former soldier said: “As an infantry soldier, I achieved everything that I joined the Army for. I enjoyed my time in Afghanistan, even the bad bits. I genuinely thought we were making a difference. However, over my tours I genuinely could never see an end to what we were doing out there.”
The veteran continued: “I don’t believe the coalition have left too early. I believe that we lost too many soldiers and that at no point in my time were the Afghan forces ever in a position to secure any form of security.
“I feel it’s such a shame for the people of Afghanistan who welcomed the change and now will no doubt suffer.”
Another former Royal Marine listed three separate elements to his memories: “Circle of corruption, personal loss, fallen ground.”
A former paratrooper said, in blunt terms: “Lessons have not been learnt... it’s a waste of time and everyone’s lives. You could see this a mile away.”
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab rejected calls to quit after opposition leaders demanded he be sacked for failing to make a call to help translators flee Afghanistan.
The Foreign Secretary was reportedly “unavailable” when officials in his department suggested he “urgently” call Afghan foreign minister Hanif Atmar on Friday – two days before the Taliban marched on Kabul – in order to arrange help for those who supported British troops.