'WE WILL NOT WALK AWAY' PM vows to keep troops on mission.BRITAIN cannot afford to "walk away" from the mission in Afghanistan if it is to prevent future al Qaida attacks on the streets of the UK, Gordon Brown warned today. The Prime Minister used a keynote speech keynote speech n. See keynote address. Noun 1. keynote speech - a speech setting forth the keynote keynote address keynote - the principal theme in a speech or literary work to reaffirm re·af·firm tr.v. re·af·firmed, re·af·firm·ing, re·af·firms To affirm or assert again. re the Government's commitment to the Afghan campaign following the losses of recent days - including five soldiers killed by an Afghan policeman they had helped to train. He stressed the need to continue with the policy of mentoring the Afghan security forces, arguing that it is what distinguishes the international military presence from "an army of occupation". His latest intervention comes amid concerns in Whitehall that public and political support for the Afghan mission is beginning to crumble crum·ble v. crum·bled, crum·bling, crum·bles v.tr. To break into small fragments or particles. v.intr. 1. To fall into small fragments or particles; disintegrate. in the face of losses. Peers including former Chiefs of the Defence Staff Lord Boyce and Lord Craig of Radley were also due to debate the condition of the armed forces today. In his speech, Mr Brown again attempted to drive home the message that the campaign is inextricably in·ex·tri·ca·ble adj. 1. a. So intricate or entangled as to make escape impossible: an inextricable maze; an inextricable web of deceit. b. linked to UK national security, with terrorists continuing to plot attacks from the region. "We will not be deterred, dissuaded or diverted di·vert v. di·vert·ed, di·vert·ing, di·verts v.tr. 1. To turn aside from a course or direction: Traffic was diverted around the scene of the accident. 2. from taking whatever measures are necessary to protect our security," he said during his speech earlier today. "When the main terrorist threat facing Britain emanates from Afghanistan and Pakistan; and when, although the sustained pressure in Pakistan, combined with military action in Afghanistan, is having a suppressive sup·pres·sive adj. Tending or serving to suppress. Adj. 1. suppressive - tending to suppress; "the government used suppressive measures to control the protest" effect on al Qaida, we know that they continue to train and plot attacks on Britain from the region - we can not, must not and will not walk away." His comments are a direct refutation ref·u·ta·tion also re·fut·al n. 1. The act of refuting. 2. Something, such as an argument, that refutes someone or something. Noun 1. of the argument by the former foreign office minister Kim Howells that Britain would be better off withdrawing its troops and diverting the resources to strengthening internal security. CAPTION(S): TAKING A STAND: Gordon Brown says our troops will stay put |
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