MPs who served in Afghanistan as members of the British armed forces have condemned the West’s “shameful” decision to abandon the country to Taliban rule. In an emotional speech, Tom Tugendhat, the Conservative chair of the foreign affairs committee, said he had struggled through “anger, grief and rage” over the past week. He warned there would be a “bow wave” of mental health issues among veterans following the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Bob Seely, the Conservative MP for the Isle of Wight, said the way the withdrawal had unfolded was an “unnecessary self-inflicted wound”. “But I shudder to think where those men are now, many will be dead, others I know now consider themselves to be dead men walking.

Source: Huffington Post August 18, 2021 13:52 UTC