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NATO Summit

I think it incentivises the Afghan Government to recognise that we are serious about handing over a country for them to run. It also shows the Afghan security forces that they are going to have to learn to stand on their own two feet. Let me make two additional points. First, there is a serious amount of time to elapse between now and the end of 2014 when all this has to be completed. This is not some rapid deadline; there are a lot of years between now and then to make it work. Secondly, Robert Gates, the US Defence Secretary has said about the US forces:"““I think anything that remains after 2014 would be very modest and very much focused on the kind of train and advise and assist role””." So I do not think we are putting ourselves apart from the consensus on this matter.