Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left) | Oireachtas source

If they have only just begun, let us look at why they are there. Thirteen years ago, the Bush Administration went into Afghanistan supposedly to quash al-Qaeda and drive out the Taliban. Later, we were told the exercise was to eradicate poppy growing and emancipate women. The statistics show the loss of hundreds of British troops, thousands of Americans and tens of thousands of Afghanis. A Taliban has been developed which is not weaker than it was in 2001 and which has in fact morphed into ISIS. Last year saw the most bountiful crop of poppies in the history of Afghanistan, the rights of women have considerably regressed and $100 billion has been spent on a country which is still one of the poorest, least developed and most corrupt in the world. How in God's name could anyone call that a success or want Ireland to have any part of it?

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