Why are we in Afghanistan?
The Americans want to build a pipeline across it to the sea to take advantage of cheap fuel.
I hope Gordon Brown is keeping a tally of the cost so that we can give the bill to America - like they did to us in 1945.

GJB, Slough, Berkshire

Can any readers add to this feature by pointing out the number of Afghans whose lives we have taken during the course of this campaign?. One thousand?. Ten thousand?. Several hundred thousand?. These men, women and children had families as well.

Samuel Brestonby-Brentby, Yeovil, UK

What's curious about the military commitment to Afghanistan is how our soldiers are giving their blood to support democracy abroad, whilst it is being rapidly dismantled at home.

Jamal Akhbar, Edinburgh,

The death toll reaches 100 ... That is the ill-conceived mathematics of death. What should matter, instead, is the logics of international law. Foreign powers have nothing to loose in Afghanistan, particularly if the latters are just tinkering around there.

Dagobert, Charkov, Ukraine

Put this one to the vote, we get out of their country, they get out of ours. Sounds like a win - win to me.

K Greenhalgh, Beauly,

The Govt "has failed to state clearly its case for Afghanistan" and "has failed to obtain the unconditional consent of the Army itself".
It hasn't been able to justify the involvement / convince the public despite having several years to do so, any more than for Iraq...which speaks volumes.

Padraig, Perth, Australia

British soldiers are dying in Afghanistan, because government still perpetuate the myth that the UK is a World power, entitling our leaders to sit alongside real World leaders.

THe cost of the largesse and military intervention is more than this country can afford.

They are in denial

Norman West, Truro, uk

None of the 9/11 or 7/11 attackers were Afghani or Taleban. Almost all the 9/11 were Saudi and the 7/11 English. We are there because USA expected us to be and we can't now leave till they do, nor can we prevent the opium trade, as that would alienate the population who have no other way of living

McSpode, lowestoft,

The Taliban were not our enemy before we started killing them. Al-Qaeda was, but they all left the country many years ago. The only reason we are there is to support the Americans and they are there because their voters think they are fighting terrorism. That's why the others are standing back...

Robert, London,

If Afghanistan, why not Pakistan as well? The public doubt the importance of Afghanistan when they see so many so called refugees from that country here. If my father and his brothers had fled to the USA instead of enrolling in armed forces they would rightfully have been called cowards.

Fred, Horsham,

What utter nonsense. There are plenty of peaceful, prosperous countries who do not seem to have a pressing need to defend themselves against al-Quaeda. Why aren't we one of them?

John Williams, Cardiff, Wales

What is the most disgraceful is the lack of real support from our European "allies". They deserve to be called the Axis of Weasels. I'm boycotting any goods made in or sold by those countries. I urge others to do the same. What diplomacy can't
achieve .....

Freddy , Maidenhead, UK

Al-Qaeda arose from the "terrorist training camps" set up by the CIA to bolster Afghan resistance to the Soviet invasion. Moreover, the Taliban had almost eradicated opium production in Afghanistan before Mr Bush decided to take revenge on them - because the 9/11 attackers were all dead.

Tom Welsh, Basingstoke,

Get out of Afganistan & Iraq. British should have learned their lessons, what happened in Vitnam. Now you have achieved your objective in Iraq to get rid of Sadam & his allies, what interest do you have to be there? Also in Afganistan, there is no business of yours. Why do you not deal with Mug

patel, London, UK.

Beocause we signed up to support our Nato allies if they were attacked, of course. And America was, by groups based in Afghanistan with the consent and encouragement of the Taliban. We are not there for the benefit of the Afghans, but for our own benefit and that of our allies.

Thomas Goodey, Cuxton-upon-Medway, England

Our troops must die because no-one now seems to regard history as containing any seed of instruction for the present or the future. Afghans can out-live British occupation as they did before, and as they outlived the Russians more recently. Because it is THEIR COUNTRY, THEIR HOMELAND, not ours!

S. Barraclough, Huddersfield, W. Yorkshire

I'm surprized that this article makes no mention of Britain's obligation under the Nato treaty. An attack against one (the towers) is an attack against all. Sharia law in London anyone? Segregated swimming perhaps. And what's with all the women driving cars? I'm calling the Archbishop on this one.

geoff bob, miami, usa

I do not think that the British/European/World public had ever any problem with the intervention in Afghanistan. Its the situation in Iraq that complicated things for the British and US governments.

Basil, Cambridge,

Didn't you guys hear David Milliband stating that having our troops in Afghanistan was comprable to the home guard defending the shores of Kent during WW2? I could almost hear Vera Lynne's dulcet tones as he said it.

We should send Milliband to combat instead of the troops - they'd die laughing.

John, Bournemouth,

The United Kingdom, along with the U.S. has invested heavily in facilitating a secure environment in which comprehensive reconstruction efforts can begin. Again, the support from our partners within NATO falls far short of that originally committed, leaving us, once again to shoulder the load.

James Mackenzie, St Cyrus, Scotland

All well and good, but our soldiers are poorly armed, poorly equipped, poorly paid and poorly cared for. Its a miracle that there is any morale left at all. If they are to meet their targets then give them the tools for the job.

James, Nanning,

Why is it nobody in the media seems to mention the fact that before British and allied troops went to Afghanistan, there were 6 million Afghan refugees in camps outside Afghanistan - now 5 million of those have returned to Afghanistan?

Hugo van Randwyck, London, UK