7 Conclusion
86. The conflict in Afghanistan has been a long
and arduous one. UK Armed Forces have fought with great courage
and made extraordinary sacrifices in order to create and sustain
a safer and more stable Afghanistan. We record here our gratitude
to the many men and women who have served in Afghanistan since
2001 and the families who have given them such resolute support.
We pay tribute in particular to all those who have lost their
lives, and the many more who have sustained life-changing injuries.
87. The future of Afghanistan is uncertain. In
the face of a determined insurgency, when international forces
leave at the end of 2014 the Government of Afghanistan will find
it challenging to continue to maintain security and exercise executive
control across the country. However, with the continued support
of the international community, we believe that these challenges
can be met and overcome.
88. We believe that a lasting peace in Afghanistan
can only be achieved through a process of reconciliation with
the Taliban. We encourage the new Government of Afghanistan to
begin a process of engagement as a matter of priority.
89. It is imperative that the UK learns lessons
from our intervention in Afghanistan. The public will quite rightly
expect a thorough analysis to be conducted to ensure that the
Government and our Armed Forces have identified and assessed lessons
for the future. We recommend that the Government conduct a lessons
learned review, encompassing not just the military operation,
but the wider intervention by the UK as part of the ISAF and United
Nations missions in Afghanistan looking at the two stages of our
involvement separately, the pre-2006 intervention and the deployment
to Helmand post 2006. In the longer term, we consider that it
is vital that a proper historical account be produced of the campaign.
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