AP: Blair Meets Troops in South Afghanistan

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Blair Meets Troops in South Afghanistan

By DAVID STRINGER
The Associated Press
Monday, November 20, 2006; 1:42 AM

LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair met Monday with soldiers
fighting the resurgent Taliban in the country's restive south, telling them that their
mission was vital to global stability.

Ahead of talks in Kabul with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Blair met dozens of the 1,800
troops based at Camp Bastion _ Britain's main southern base, close to the capital of the
restive southern Helmand province.

"Here in this extraordinary desert is where the future of world security in the early 21st
century is going to be played out," Blair said.

Blair and his entourage arrived for the 70-minute visit in an unmarked C-130 Hercules
cargo plane that made a winding, corkscrew landing to avoid any incoming missiles.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/20/AR2006112000047.html

From BBC News...

Last Updated: Monday, 20 November 2006, 10:29 GMT

PM vows to stand by Afghanistan

Prime Minister Tony Blair has said British troops will stay in Afghanistan until
the job is done.

He told a news conference he believed the Afghan people deserved the chance
to live in a democratic state without being oppressed by the Taleban.

"I want to recommit ourselves to say that we will be with you in this endeavour,"
he said, after talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul.

-snip-

Full article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6164722.stm