TOO MUCH TALK

by RAY FLEMING
IN a muted session of Prime Minister's Questions yesterday, by far the best intervention came from the Labour MP Tony Wright who asked: “What's worse - politicians becoming generals or generals becoming politicians?” Gordon Brown batted the question away in his usual unsatisfactory style; David Cameron didn't rise to it although he will have recognised the indirect reference to his intention to have General Dannatt as an adviser. In fact there was more to Mr Wright's question than it might seem. In Afghanistan too many serving American and British generals are acting as if they are politicians - making speeches, writing articles and briefing journalists on issues that require political rather than military decision or, ideally, joint resolution. Yesterday it was reported that Britain's General Sir Graeme Lamb had told The Times that Afghan insurgents should be offered amnesties and removal from the “wanted” list if they lay down their arms. General Lamb may well be right in this judgment but he must also know that the question of whether or not the coalition forces in Afghanistan should talk to the Taleban is one of the hottest issues under consideration by President Obama in Washington at the moment. One of the reasons that so many people think Afghanistan is being badly handled is the number of differing opinions being offered by senior serving officers on how best this very difficult situation can be brought to a satisfactory end.