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Afghanistan

It is precisely because Afghans should be enabled to take more control over their own affairs that we are training the Afghan forces. We are talking about an army of 70,000 by next year, and a larger number of police. The biggest difficulties have involved preventing both corruption and inefficiency among the police. I think that, over time, the Afghan Government will recognise that point by building up their own security forces—particularly their army and police—and by working with the countries that are enabling them to do so, they can provide the best possible guarantee for the future of Afghanistan.