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Added: Saturday, 7 November, 2009, 18:45 GMT 18:45 UK

The whole purpose of the Afghan war was to enable Blair and Bush to make their mark in history.

If we do pull out, it will be the second time Afghanistan has won a war (after the Russian war) against a more powerful opponent.

This war has become one that we will never win due to massive recruitment the Taliban now receives due to the Afghan resentment of the west. It is now a war to prevent those who started from it being publicly humiliated.

Vic B-W, Welwyn Garden City, United Kingdom

Added: Saturday, 7 November, 2009, 18:41 GMT 18:41 UK

no

manish, london

Added: Saturday, 7 November, 2009, 18:30 GMT 18:30 UK

Brown and most western politicians can't understand that Afghans don't share our standards or social values. Imposing our concept of security there would need tens of thousands more troops, and when they left everything would revert to how it was before. We should fight terrorism here - put the resources into intelligence, into proper border security, into guarding our coastline and shipping lanes, and into deporting anyone who acts or speaks to threaten our society. It'll cost fewer lives.

[Rabbitkiller], Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom

Added: Saturday, 7 November, 2009, 18:28 GMT 18:28 UK

No Afgan or Afgan Taliban was involved in 9/11
No Iraqi was involved in 9/11.

ALL hijackers come from countries and dictatorships
that WE SUPPORT:
(15) Saudi Arabia (2) United Arab Emerits (1) Egypt
(1) Lebanon.

All hijacker pilot training was done in the U.S> San Diego,
Florida, Arizona, and coordinated from Hamburg
Germany.

So lets decimate Afganistan, and the training capability
on the monkey bars, that the media likes to show.
Logic? err lets me see ! hold on give me time.

Andrew no historical AmnesiaC, Colorado USA

Added: Saturday, 7 November, 2009, 18:26 GMT 18:26 UK

Our troops would be better employed manning our borders "en masse" to strictly and effectively target immigration from Pakistan, Afghanistan and any other "stan" that starts up in the terror business. Once hostile immigrants have been identified and removed from Britain, the threat of terrorism is also removed.
"Simples...tsssweet!"

Martyn Buckley, Belper, United Kingdom

Added: Saturday, 7 November, 2009, 18:21 GMT 18:21 UK

I believe we have a government that has never listened to the voice of the people for years so I cant see Gordon Brown taking any notice of HYS.
The only way to answer this government is in a few months time. Guarantee we dont have to listen to them for the next 4 years.
Withdrawing from afghanistan would be political suicide for Labour..They would be admitting that their approach to both Iraq and Afghanistan was wrong.Threy will never do that no matter how many more soldiers come home in bags

June, Uk

Added: Saturday, 7 November, 2009, 18:13 GMT 18:13 UK

I have lived in Afghanistan as a humanitarian worker for the past 8 years. I love it here, and despite its hardships and insecure atmosphere (in some places), I can only say it would be flat out stupid to withdraw international forces. Without them the Taliban would be back in a second and women back out of jobs, children forbidden schools and the mess would simply grow stronger than before. We must keep the peace.

AP, MES

Added: Saturday, 7 November, 2009, 18:04 GMT 18:04 UK

Most Afghans have not been heard to be very happy since when the recent past and present Government invited foreign troops to operate here making life hellish in militants' hunting, whereas, it is the work of the Government to control any danger situation in the country but in case it (Government) fails to maintain law and order situation in the country it (Government) should vacate the place for the other to do needful in a skillful and strategic manner.

A R Shams, Pakistan

Added: Saturday, 7 November, 2009, 18:02 GMT 18:02 UK

"Yes" peharps security can be guaranteed in the republic of afghanistan if only we all speak-with-one-voice.
History proves it that in all previous global operations; dating as far back as we can think, the lack of an appointed Envoy make it very difficult to access the level of corruption. Military commanders are then overloaded with extra task of fact finding.
It may also be wrong to punctuate the religion of islam with the
mis-calculated political theory of some countries.

abbas daramy-bassey, london south-east, United Kingdom

Added: Saturday, 7 November, 2009, 17:51 GMT 17:51 UK

To repeat, time has come to leave afghanistan to afghan people

m a shervani

delhi, INDIA

m a shervani, delhi, India

Added: Saturday, 7 November, 2009, 17:44 GMT 17:44 UK

I am no expert, but it seems to me that the 'experts' have the Afghan strategy wrong. Clearly this war is being won by the Taliban becuase they seem to have an unlimited source of weapons, explosives etc.; for which they pay by opium or money generated from opium sales. Therefore it seem to me that first of all the allies need to stop the opium trade - identify how is it done, patrol the borders, occupy what you have to to stop this; and secondly find the way the weapons get in and stop that.

lk, london

Added: Saturday, 7 November, 2009, 17:43 GMT 17:43 UK

All the terrorism I have heard about has been organised from Leeds, Birmingham, Bradford etc.. So what are we doing in Helmand? Surely we should be making a fortress of our borders and rounding up perpetrators within the UK. This means our boys should be back here not in Afghanistan.

BAZ S, SCOTLAND, United Kingdom

Added: Saturday, 7 November, 2009, 17:41 GMT 17:41 UK

If we are at war, as the three military leaders tell Gordon Brown, then until the last soldier leaves Afghanistan then anyone caught in the UK dealing in heroin is guilty of treason and should be dealt with accordingly. Dealing in drugs helps fund the enemy that kills British troops.

jjs, dundee

Added: Saturday, 7 November, 2009, 17:41 GMT 17:41 UK

"If we had listened to those advocating withdrawal last year, then by now rape would be legal in Afghanistan and at least one person would have been executed for downloading material on women's rights.

Is that what those advocating withdrawal now really want?

Ian Kemmish, Biggleswade"

To be honest Ian, I really don't give a monkeys. The Afghanis, like our citizens, get the government they deserve.

It could be worse. They could have New Labour and Gordon Brown!

[jerryatric], Agree with the mods or languish in the queue for days.

Added: Saturday, 7 November, 2009, 17:41 GMT 17:41 UK

It's a total mess isn't it? There doesn't seem to any clear policy about exactly what the troops are are doing. If it is a war who is the real enemy?
The training camps seem to have gone and have been set up elsewhere so I don't see any other reason for being there. The people of Afghanistan people should solve their own political problems, it's up to them what kind of society they want, it is not for international powers to tell them how they should be ruled.
I feel sorry for the troops.

patricia leiper