blair who led the uk forces _ chris, it was tony blair who led the uk forces into afghanistan in 20 —— 2001— uk forces into afghanistan in 20 —— 2001 alongside the us. today is focused — 2001 alongside the us. today is focused largely on those comments and his— focused largely on those comments and his damning attack of that political— and his damning attack of that political slogan to enter the" political _ political slogan to enter the" political wars" political slogan to enter the" politicalwars" —— political slogan to enter the" political wars" —— forever was. compared _ political wars" —— forever was. compared to what it was like 20 years _ compared to what it was like 20 years ago. — compared to what it was like 20 years ago, he has also criticised the fact— years ago, he has also criticised the fact that he has made this claim that every— the fact that he has made this claim that everyjihadist group around the world _ that everyjihadist group around the world would have been cheering at this withdrawal and saying that if we were — this with

the formerl leader of the labour party and prime minister tony blair has spoken strongly and said the decision to come out of afghanistan from america was imbecilic. come out of afghanistan from america was imbecilic— was imbecilic. would you go that far? the decision _ was imbecilic. would you go that far? the decision to _ was imbecilic. would you go that far? the decision to withdraw i was imbecilic. would you go that far? the decision to withdraw is l far? the decision to withdraw is from the united states and nobody can say we were not warned and we have had two successive presidents who made clear they would end involvement in afghanistan after 20 years and thousands of lives lost. while the us deserves criticism for the decision to withdraw quickly with a hard deadline, which signalled to the taliban it was simply a waiting game and if they held tight, the us would be gone and they knew when they would be gone and i suspect that is why we saw a rapid advance. there have been mistakes made in terms of afghanistan including the past 18 months when the government has not put pla