Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We need to put things in perspective. The US launched a military campaign in Afghanistan because of 9-11, when there was considerable proof of terrorist training camps in Afghanistan. Mistakes were made subsequently and there are major challenges in Afghanistan to creating a functional, normalised state, but the idea that pulling all of the contributing non-Afghan troops out would somehow be to the betterment of the broader population when all evidence suggests that the country would simply be taken over by the Taliban again is not sound thinking. We are playing a small part in contributing to an effort to create the capacity in Afghanistan to run its own affairs from governance and security points of view. This contribution is welcomed by the Afghanistan Government in its efforts towards same. As long as we can make a positive contribution, we will continue doing so.

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