Letters: The clock is ticking in Afghanistan

Out of Afghanistan

Sir: Boyd Tonkin’s review of Anna Aslanyan’s Dancing on Ropes highlights the post-war abandonment of local Afghan and Iraqi interpreters by the US and UK (Books, 17 July). The UK’s response, up until last summer, deserved every bit of Tonkin’s strictures but the past year has seen a ‘strategic shift’. Ben Wallace and Priti Patel were clearly determined to change our approach and to give sanctuary to our former staff. More generous regulations were introduced in December and April but the imminent withdrawal of Nato forces now raises the fearful prospect of a Taleban takeover, or Taleban-induced paralysis of the Afghan government, before the necessary evacuation can take place.

There is still a window of maybe two to three months in which to act but we will be pushed to succeed: more resources are required, still greater flexibility is essential to remove remaining excluded categories, and there needs to be a robust ‘what if’ plan.