Afghanistan still needs saving: the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom promises that his nation will hold fast in its support of a new Afghanistan. However, beyond Uncle Sam, who is willing to lend the beleaguered British a hand?

• Author: Brown, Gordon
• Position: Worldview

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FOR SIX YEARS, 38 countries have come together with the people and government of Afghanistan to rebuild this failed state, prevent the return of the Taliban, and root out Al Qaeda. Britain will continue to meet its obligations, honor its commitments, and discharge its duties to this task and to the people of Afghanistan. Having been reviewing British strategy since July, I now want to announce the next stage: a long-term and comprehensive framework for security, and political, social, and economic development for Afghanistan. This long-term comprehensive framework entails:

Afghan ownership. The Afghan army, police, and government have to build on NATO military achievements and take over responsibility for their own security.

Localization and reconciliation. Afghans must build on the creation of a democratic constitution by developing and strengthening their institutions, not just at the national level, but at provincial and local levels as well, as we also support their search for political reconciliation.

Reconstruction. In what remains one of the poorest countries on Earth, where only one in three have clean drinking water, life expectancy is just 43, and 80% of women cannot read, Britain will ensure, through reconstruction and development, that more Afghan people have an economic stake in their future.

Greater burden sharing by all partners and allies. Each of us must play our part, as hard-headed realists, not idealists, in the long haul, to help the Afghans govern and secure their own land--and together shift our emphasis from short-term stabilization to long-term development.

The foundation now and in the future for our comprehensive framework of support for Afghanistan is military backing for the government against the Taliban-led insurgency and denying Al Qaeda a base from which to launch attacks on the world. Throughout last winter, Taliban propagandists repeatedly promised a "spring offensive." Instead, it is the British and other NATO forces, together with the Afghan army, who have taken the initiative--driving the insurgents and extremists out of their hiding places, preventing them from regrouping and attacking the areas around the provincial capitals, where stability is taking hold.

It is this military success that has preserved Afghanistan's emerging democracy--a constitution, fragile but still intact; a free media; and a changing society where, unlike six years ago (when women were banned from education, work, and virtually all of public life), there now is a higher proportion of female...