LONDON – Towing the US line in Afghanistan, the former British General hasvowed to send more troops in Afghanistan to combat the Afghan Taliban.

*Former chief of general staff General Lord Richards has suggested thatmore British troops should be pledged to Afghanistan, echoing comments madelast year.*

In an interview with Sky News, Richards said the UK should assist the US intackling the Taliban in the form of air and logistical support.

“I think we should be much more involved in the support role,” he said,adding that “the sort of things that the Americans are asking of us, weshould be prepared to step up to the mark on.

“I think it’s time to just remember that the Afghan people have fought awar on our behalf, to prevent terrorism from striking us, with us, and weowe them something in return and [should] not give up just because it’s notgoing very well,” he said.

Richards commanded NATO forces in Afghanistan for two years until 2008 andearlier this month, he told Forces News that he blamed politicians for someof what he called “the stupidities” in Afghanistan in the past.

In response to a question that are Daesh, Taliban and Al-Qaeda different,he said “that initial campaign was stunning in its simplicity and itssuccess.”

“In under two months, the Taliban were gone,” he said.

“If you’re looking for models for future generations of soldiers to lookat, I think that’s got to be one of them,” Richard said in the Sky Newsinterview.