julian lewis. >> number 13, mr. speaker. >> i thank the honorable gentleman for his question. we are conducting a counter- insurgency operation in afghanistan. he asked specifically about the military purpose of routine foot and vehicle patrols in

julian lewis. >> number 13, mr. speaker. >> i thank the honorable gentleman for his question. we are conducting a counter- insurgency operation in afghanistan. he asked specifically about the military purpose of routine foot and vehicle patrols in afghanistan. if you are going to win the counterinsurgency and succeed in what is called "war amongst the people", you have to be among them, protecting them from the insurgents. that is how we are going to create a more stable and peaceful afghanistan, from which we will be able to return, leaving the afghan forces in control. >> dr. julian lewis. >> does the prime minister accept that there are other ways of fighting counterinsurgencies that do not involve sending out uniformed personnel along predictable routes, day after day, to be sniped at and blown up? will he request his military advisers to focus on long-term strategies that could achieve our strategic aims without having to pay such an unnecessarily high price? >> i know that my honorable friend takes a close interest in these matters, and i have arranged for him to meet se

julian lewis. >> does the prime minister accept that there are other ways of fighting counterinsurgencies that do not involve sending out uniformed personnel along predictable routes, day after day, to be sniped at and blown up? will he request his military advisers to focus on long-term strategies that could achieve our strategic aims without having to pay such an unnecessarily high price? >> i know that my honorable friend takes a close interest in these matters, and i have arranged for him to meet senior officials and military adviserss so that he can explore his ideas with them. all that i would say is that the team that president obama has put in place, and the team that we have in terms of both military and civilian leaders, have brought great impetus too the campaign. it is difficult to see, if we are trying to fight a counterinsurgency, how we can do so without having a number of active patrols to protect the people from the insurgents. >> order. i gently remind the house that this is a closed question on afghanistan. does anybody wish to come in on it? no? mr. jonathan evans. >>