Job Done

Britain's civilising mission in Afghanistan has taken another optimistic turn with the killing of two servicemen by people in Afghan police uniform. A spokesbeing for the local police said the killers had been members of the national police for a year, and the shadow Minister for War and the Colonies was prompted to recommend that "we should look at the recruitment processes again". No doubt it is surprising what can be accomplished with a proper human resources policy and an appropriately rigorous interview technique. Meanwhile Adam Werritty's replacement, still reeling from the Government's vertiginous flip-floppery over the Royal Navy's new toys, reverted to the Conservatives' comfort-zone blimpness: "Remember, this is a society where people traditionally settle grievances by violence." After ten years of glorious occupation, and at a cost of four hundred and fourteen attention-worthy lives plus one or two others, it is reassuring that Porker Hammond believes we have at last succeeded in turning Afghanistan into the new Greater Manchester.