Troops fighting for Britains future: Miliband

Foreign Secretary David Miliband said on Saturday that soldiers in Afghanistan were involved in a battle for the future of Britain after the British death toll surpassed that for the Iraq war. Miliband said Britain would not be secure until it had established security in Afghanistan and it was vital to prevent the country again becoming an incubator for terrorism and a launch pad for attacks on the West. Miliband said it had been a grievous few days for the families of the dead, for the army, and for the whole country. We know that they are engaged in a very, very difficult mission and we have a responsibility to engage the country in understanding that mission and supporting it, he told a British channel. This is about the future of Britain because we know that the badlands of Afghanistan and Pakistan -- that border area -- have been used to launch terrible attacks, not just on the United States, but on Britain as well. We know that until we can ensure there is a modicum of stability and security provided by Afghan forces for their own people, we are not going to be able to be secure in our own country.