we went into helman province was an idea of how dangerous the insurgency could become.the opposition did not have sufficient helicopters or did not move fast enough on vehicles or other equipment rograms. but we have to take from where we are and ask ourselves what is right to do now? it seems to me it is right to give this new strategy of having a correct number ofrk by forces to deliver a proper counterinsurgency and build up the afghan army and police force so we can bring the troops back home. the point in the end is what will make our country safer? if in behind and afghanistan may not be perfect demmcracy or built -- or brilliant society, but so that it is not a haven for terrorism. >> next year, british and american troops will have been in afghanistan for 10 years. it has cost hundreds of soldiers and thousands of civilians and it has created still look -- created instability in the region. %hould we be thinking of some alternativeewhich involves negotiations rather than constant military activity? >> let me find some common cause with the hon. gentleman which i

the taliban executed a 7-year-old child in helman province. there's still a lot of evidence brutality. and the question i guess would be as a lot of these folks in these areas, critical areas to us, who are cooperating with and helping the government what happens when we leave? and then there was this report yesterday in "the washington post" which is being disputed, denied by the pakistan government, but i want to read you just one paragraph in this news story. u.s. officials say and these were releases of taliban leaders from pakistan that the releases reflected pakistan's strategy of working closely with the united states on key fronts while also maintaining relationships with militant groups capable of serving pakistan's interest in afghanistan when u.s. forces are gone. i'm concerned that what -- the notion that we're going to be pulling down here in the not too distant future does shape the relationships not only between the people of afghanistan, and the taliban and the people of afghanistan and our u.s. forces and efforts there, but al

the taliban executed a 7-year-old child in helman province.here's still a lot of evidence brutality. and the question i guess wou be as a lot of these folks in these areas, critical areas to us, who are cooperating with and helping the government what happens when we leave? and then there was this report yesterday in "the washington post" which is being disputed, denied by the pakistan government, but i want to read you just one paragraph in this news story. u.s. officials say and the were releases of taliban leaders from pakistan that the releases reflected pakistan's strategy of working closely with the united states on key fronts while also maintaining relationships with militant groups capable of serving pakistan's interest in afghanistan when u.s. forces are gone. i'm concerned that what -- the notion that we're going to be pulling down here in the not too distant future does shape the relationships not only between the people of afghanistan, and the taliban and the people of afghanistan and our u.s. forces and efforts there, but also the