Away from the shenanigans of partygate pictures, a rather more sobering publication has today been released by the Foreign Affairs Committee. The dozen-strong panel of MPs has issued one of the most damning parliamentary reports in modern times, describing Britain’s evacuation from Afghanistan as ‘a disaster and a betrayal of our allies that will damage the UK’s interests for years to come.’
The 66-page report said Afghan allies and British soldiers were ‘utterly let down by deep failures of leadership’ in the government during last August’s evacuation of Afghan translators and others who worked alongside British troops for more than 20 years. The cross-party inquiry found that ‘mismanagement’ of the evacuation as the Taliban quickly took over the country ‘likely cost lives’ and that the top civil servant at the Foreign Office (FCDO), Sir Philip Barton, ought now to consider resignation.
Below are six of the most damning revelations from the report into Britain’s pull-out from Afghanistan…
The complete lack of planning
A lack of preparation for the evacuation is a consistent theme throughout the report, from the UK government’s inability to predict the speed of the Taliban’s takeover to its complete failure to shape or respond to Washington’s decision to withdraw, despite 18 months’ notice.
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