Over a decade after the UK first became involved in operations in Afghanistan, and eight years after this involvement was first explicitly described as a war, combat operations in the country finally ended at the close of 2014. The political controversies that surrounded the Afghan campaign, however, have lingered and are likely to have an impact on British defence and strategy debates for years to come. The questions, concerning both the motivations and the manner in which the 'Fourth Afghan War' was conducted, are manifold and sensitive. Yet this is precisely why - at a time when the UK is thinking again about its strategic choices and the role of its armed forces - it is important that an independent and informed debate is allowed to continue on what has been the country's most significant military commitment since the end of the Cold War.
展开▼
