THE TELEGRAPH: Defence Secretary John Hutton has compared Taliban fighters in Afghanistan to the Nazis, saying British forces are defending Western values rather than borders as they did in the Second World War.
Mr Hutton said that the military campaign in Afghanistan was "a vital national security mission" just as the battle against Hitler was.
He also appeared disposed to sending more troops to the wartorn country, saying that the Taliban could not be allowed to outlast foreign forces.
Following a trip to Afghanistan in October, he admitted that a "poisonous cocktail" of Islamic extremism, 30 years of civil war, a thriving narcotics trade and powerful warlords mean British forces could remain committed to the country for "decades".
"The argument is very clear. This is where our national security is determined. We must tackle the threat at source, it's not just going to go away," he told The Times this week. "It is a struggle against fanatics that may not challenge our borders but challenges our way of life in the same way the Nazis did." >>> By Aislinn Simpson | Saturday, December 20, 2008
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