| How to Make Friends and Influence People |
Liam Fox was under attack last night for damaging Britain's relations with Kabul after he described Afghanistan as a "broken 13th-century country".
| What part of that was wrong? |
| Never mind wrong -- what part of that was not unnecessarily rude? The man is a newbie. |
The Defence Secretary's comments, made in an interview with The Times published on Saturday, provoked fury from the Afghan Government and media with officials calling the claims racist.
| Truth hurts, doesn't it ... |
| The remark was not racist, as both Secretary Fox and the Afghans are of the same caucasian racial construct. And anyway, Secretary Fox was judging the country of Afghanistan, not Afghans as a group or as individuals. Perhaps his attitude could be better described as nationalist... |
According to senior Afghan officials, Dr Fox's characterisation of the country was raised at a meeting with President Karzai on Saturday. The President expressed his deep displeasure at the remarks, they said.
In his interview Dr Fox said that there must be a distinction between military and humanitarian goals. "We are not in Afghanistan for the sake of the education policy in a broken 13th-century country. We are there so the people of Britain and our global interests are not threatened."
A senior Afghan government source said: "His view appears to be that Afghanistan has not changed since the 13th century and it implies that Afghanistan is a tribal and medieval society. | And the reality is ... ?? |
"Despite the sacrifices of British soldiers and the massive support of the British Government we do not feel that there is a mutual respect. His remarks show a lack of trust."
The source added: "We see Britain as still a colonial, orientalist and racist country that they should have this view. Dr Fox really believes what he said, and he is not alone. London and Kabul must move on or things will be more difficult."
The issue provoked furious editorials in the Afghan press, with the daily Arman-e Melli publishing a leading article yesterday with the headline: "We don't need Britain in Afghanistan". At a press conference at the British Embassy in Kabul yesterday Dr Fox said: "Of course, what I was pointing out, and I welcome the opportunity to amplify it, is that the primary reason for sending our Armed Forces to Afghanistan was one of national security.
"But clearly if we are to make the long-term gains that will provide the stability to maintain the momentum when our Armed Forces eventually hand over to the forces of the Afghans, we will require a long period of development in concert with the international authorities, the NGOs and our and other countries' aid programmes."
| And the Afghans. Don't let's forget that if the Afghans aren't involved, the whole thing will not succeed. |
Dr Fox was returning home last night with William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, and Andrew Mitchell, the International Development Secretary, after meeting British Forces in Helmand province. A Ministry of Defence spokesman denied that there had been any confrontation and said that the allegations were "groundless and without truth".
Mr Mitchell said yesterday: "You can't get a cigarette paper between Liam Fox's views and mine on the importance of joining together better and more effectively defence, diplomacy and development."
Dr Fox's office said: "Hamid Karzai has used similar words himself, describing what the Taleban left behind as 13th or 14th-century."
| It's different when he says it ... |
The visit was intended to display unity within the coalition British Government on what is regarded as the most important foreign policy issue.
The Defence Secretary got off to a controversial start, however, when he told The Times that Britain was not a "global policeman".
He added that he wanted to "reset expectations and timelines", a hint that he wanted to use the trip to accelerate the return of some of the British contingent. |