Bracknell veteran's fresh vision for army amid Afghan crisis

In recent days, following a draw down of US Armed Forces in Afghanistan the Taliban, a radical Islamic group, has effectively seized power.

British Forces were sent to Afghanistan as part of an international coalition following the 9/11 attack by Al-Qaeda on the World Trade Center in New York in 2001.

The coalition invaded Afghanistan as the Taliban were harbouring Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, who was eventually assassinated by US special forces in Abbottabad, Pakistan in 2011. 457 British troops died in the Afghanistan conflict.

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David McMullen, 36, from the Priestwood area of Bracknell, served in Afghanistan in the 7th Battalion The Rifles.

Reacting to the news of the apparent Taliban victory, Mr McMullen said: “It’s obviously disappointing, 20 years have been spent there, nearly 500 lives lost, and probably 10 times that physically injured, not to mention PTSD. And there’s been a lot of monetary investment in Afghanistan. Sadly it was probably going to end up the way it has.

“It’s very difficult to change the culture out in Afghan, its so complicated. In Ireland, there were two sides, the Catholics and the Protestants, whereas out there you have 19 different tribes.

“We’re telling children what their fathers and grandfathers did was wrong, that they should be living their lives in a different way and to speed up their development by 200 years and expect them to be like the UK and America. We should have invested in education.

“Women and children are going to go back to being low class citizens and treated appallingly.

“The main priority is evacuating people and making sure it does not become a humanitarian disaster, to make sure there’s not punishment killings and making sure the poor are not left high and dry. The next couple of weeks are going to be very difficult.”

David McMullen, aged 36, from Priestwood, Bracknell, served in the Armed Forces in Afghanistan. Credit: David McMullen

He added: “There's a misunderstanding about the Taliban and Al-Qaeda being one in the same. Our mission was to rid Afghanistan of Al-Qaeda not the Taliban. The trouble is flawed foreign policy made it difficult for us. England needs to recognise we’re not an Empire.”

He went on to say that he sees the British Armed Forces can get involved in humanitarian efforts overseas, rather than invasions, mentioning the aid the Forces gave to the people of Haiti in 2010.

Mr McMullen said: “We should be building infrastructure, encouraging womens rights and building it from there.

“We would be liked a lot more around the world if we supported the development of these countries and helped out during disasters. Then the people out there would say ‘England helped us out’.”

Asked whether Afghani interpreters who have served with the British Army should be given refuge, Mr McMullen said: “Absolutely. They’ve risked their lives, so absolutely they should be brought here, welcomed and retrained. We certainly should not be turning out back on the people that helped us.”

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James Sunderland, the Conservative MP for Bracknell, served as an officer in the British Army on tours in Iraq, Afghanistan and other conflict zones.

For his part, Mr Sunderland said: “You will appreciate this is a very fluid situation and it is to early to jump to conclusions. The immediate imperative now is to protect UK nationals and key interests as best we can. I have no doubt that the Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence are working with our NATO allies to develop a credible plan. I am pleased that Government is taking all measures to prioritise the safe passage for British citizens and those with approved visas to come to the UK.”

Mr McMullen is a Labour party member and a volunteer for the Help The Commonwealth Veterans 8 campaign, which would make visas for Commonwealth soldiers who have served in the British Armed Forces to settle in the UK for free. Currently they have to pay £2,000 for a Visa.