PM's Warning To Afghan Government

Gordon Brown has challenged the embattled Afghan president to confront corruption within his administration.

The Prime Minister said he was not prepared to put UK troops "in harm's way" for an unstable government.

Speaking today (Friday), Mr Brown reaffirmed his commitment to the mission, insisting the UK "cannot, must not and will not walk away" from the region.

However, the Prime Minister was stinging in his attack of the political situation in the country.

He said the Afghan government had become a "byword for corruption" and warned President Hamid Karzai that "cronies and warlords should have no place in the future".

Conservatives have accused the Prime Minister of sending a "mixed message" by confusing military goals with human rights issues.

The Lib Dems have called for a complete rethink on the Afghanistan strategy.

Speaking from the House of Lords, ex-Chief of the Defence Staff General Charles Guthrie said Downing Street had been "dithering" over its decision to deploy more troops.

"I do think that the servicemen, the people on the front line, are questioning whether the government is really, really committed to making progress in Afghanistan," said the peer.

Mr Brown today insisted the greatest threat posed to mainland UK is Al-Qaeda, which continues to plan attacks while harbouring in Afghanistan.

"We will not be deterred, dissuaded or diverted from taking whatever measures are necessary to protect our security," he said.

Calling for the creation of a new Afghan commission to investigate institutionalised corruption, Mr Brown urged Mr Karzai to make eradicating the problem the centrepiece of his inauguration speech on 19 November.

Stressing the need for the international community to work together, Mr Brown said: "We will succeed or fail together and we will succeed."

Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox said the "endemic" problem of corruption in Afghanistan would "take a long time" to turnaround.

(PR/KMcA)