The Afghanistan war has gone on for nine years and the most significant result has been the increasing number of deaths (309-plus to date) of British soldiers, and many more other United Nations soldiers.

The reasons for the invasion have been various; to avenge the New York twin towers disaster; to prevent the terrorists training in Afghanistan from attacking Britain and to stabilise the war-torn country by continuing to train an Afghan police force, in order create a safe situation for troops to return home.

Didn’t work very well for Iraq.

At present, the Taliban and its supporters control more than 70 per cent of Afghanistan.

The puppet government installed in Kabul by the United Nations from previously exiled persons is practically under siege by the Taliban and has spent billions of dollars of aid with nothing to show.

Of course, the deposed Taliban rulers retreated to strongholds in the remote regions of Afghanistan and the Pakistan border from where they continued their regimes and attacked occupying forces as and when they wish.

These same tactics were used by Afghans for hundreds of years – thousands of British soldiers were massacred there in the 19th century.

Surely, when three of the commanding officers have been changed almost at the same time there is an underlying message that they are not winning this war.

Holland is leaving the UN forces in Afghanistan this year, Canada is leaving next year. Our Prime Minister has hinted at five years’ time. America has hinted at starting to leave next year.

Why not now ?

J Beisly, Osprey Close, York.