Clegg voices Afghan campaign fears

7.09.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Sat 17th May 2008

"My aim in travelling to Afghanistan is to discuss these vital issues on the ground with politicians, military commanders and soldiers serving on the front line," - Nick Clegg

Failure in Afghanistan would be "devastating" while the Nato mission was "hanging in the balance", Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has said on a visit. Speaking during his first trip there, Mr Clegg warned that without lasting peace and stability Afghanistan could revert to a "pariah state. The consequences of failure would be devastating," he said.

Mr Clegg was spending two days visiting British troops and holding talks with Afghan leaders. "Afghanistan is the most important conflict of our generation," he said. "If we fail to secure lasting peace and stability, Afghanistan will revert to a pariah state, feeding the international drugs trade and offering a haven for terrorism that will threaten global security for the conceivable future.

My aim in travelling to Afghanistan is to discuss these vital issues on the ground with politicians, military commanders and soldiers serving on the front line. Yet the success of our mission in Afghanistan hangs in the balance. International efforts have not yet delivered the stability and security that the people of Afghanistan deserve. So we must ask tough questions, of ourselves and our allies, to ensure we succeed."