The William Aldridge Foundation

AFTER ten years' fighting, the news we are talking to the Taliban to try to end the Afghan conflict drew a mixture of relief, anger and confusion yesyerday

Foreign Secretary William Hague told The Sun that Britain is in peace negotiations with the enemy to halt a war which has cost the lives of more than 370 of our servicemen and women.
The controversial move was welcomed by military experts, diplomats and the families of our soldiers in the war zone.
A global poll for the BBC World Service released yesterday found negotiating with the Taliban is the public's preferred strategy for ending the conflict.
Yet the idea was hard to swallow for the families of our boys and girls who have already lost their lives in the battles with al-Qaeda and the Taliban.
Devastated Lucy Aldridge, whose son Will remains the youngest killed after he was blown up in Helmand at 18 years, 47 days, said last night: "We should have talked to the Taliban years ago. Instead I've lost my precious son."
She spoke as British top brass blasted US President Barack Obama over his decision to pull thousands of troops out of Afghanistan early.
The move came against the advice of his top war commander.


Read more: www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/campa...n.html#ixzz1QBmmvAht