that reads too much into what Fox said on Saturday. By Sunday, Hague, the Foreign Secretary (and senior to Fox) was saying:
Afghanistan withdrawal deadline 'helps no-one'
It would be "unwise" and "unhelpful" to set a firm date for withdrawal of UK troops from Afghanistan, Foreign Secretary William Hague has said.
Mr Hague said they should stay until Afghans can manage their own security, and being made to "jump through hoops" to meet a date would not help.
...
The three ministers have also been determined to show there is "not a cigarette paper" between how each sees the purpose and strategy for Britain's involvement in Afghanistan, after it appeared there were divisions between the approaches of Dr Fox and Mr Mitchell.
Dr Fox said on Saturday troops were there for UK security not for "the education policy in a broken 13th-century country"; while Mr Mitchell emphasised the importance of creating a stable society in Afghanistan.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8699345.stmThe new British coalition government planned no significant changes to its strategy in Afghanistan, the country's foreign secretary, William Hague, said during his visit to the impoverished state.
Hague, along with British Defence Secretary Liam Fox and International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell, visited the country for talks with Afghan leadership, including president Hamid Karzai.
"I think there is a strong measure of agreement between the governments about the way forward, and so Afghanistan will find in the new government in Britain a steady friend in helping to tackle the problems that we have suffered in this area of the world for too long," he said.
Hague said that "some important changes" have already been made to the strategy recently, namely due to U.S. President Barack Obama's efforts and the London Conference chaired by Gordon Brown.
"We want to give that strategy the time and support to succeed," Hague said.
http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/International/23-May-2010/UK-policy-on-Afghanistan-to-remain-unchanged-foreign-secretary