The West has no say over the future of Afghanistan after losing control of the situation, according to a prominent British MP.
“This is what defeat looks like,” Tom Tugendhat said of the explosions that killed scores of people in Kabul, including 13 US marines.
Mr Tugendhat, who chairs the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said the West now has no say over the future of Afghanistan.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4, he said: “Defeat is when you don’t control any of the process any more and if you are lucky you just about get out with your lives and a bit of your equipment, and that’s what we are doing at the moment.
“We don’t have any control, we don’t have any say. It’s a defeat.”
Mr Tugendhat – himself a former Territorial Army soldier who served in Afghanistan – described the situation as “the sun setting over some really pretty terrible decisions by the West over a number of years”.
He saidthere had been “a complete failure to believe in the principles we claim to advocate”.
“We haven’t invested significantly in our defence for many years, we haven’t invested significantly in our foreign policy for many years and we are surprised when organisations like the Taliban defeat us in Afghanistan or countries like China outwit us in diplomacy in Africa,” he said.
“But I am afraid that is the result of decisions we have taken and are taking even today."
Mr Tugendhat has been highly critical of the UK and US’s abandonment of Afghanistan and was applauded in parliament when he gave a powerful and emotional speech last week in which he said he was struggling through “anger, grief and rage".
He told MPs: “I've watched good men go into the earth, taking with them a part of me, a part of all of us. This week has torn open some of those wounds, left them raw.”
A former British Army major-general criticised the British government for the way it handled the evacuation of Kabul
Charlie Herbert, a former Nato adviser, said he was ashamed of the pull-out from Afghanistan.
Speaking to British broadcaster Sky News, he said he believes the US-led decision to pull out of Afghanistan “without an inclusive political settlement was just madness” and that the chaotic evacuation is a direct consequence.
“I’m ashamed, I’m genuinely ashamed as I think of what we’ve done here,” he said, about the “betrayal” of former Nato interpreters who may not make it out of the country before the August 31 deadline.
He said: “There are three categories of people who have been betrayed. Number one, I think this decision has betrayed all the servicemen and women who served in Afghanistan, 150,000 in the United Kingdom, over 450 who sacrificed their lives, betrayed by this decision. We’ve betrayed an entire nation, by pulling the rug from under their feet, you know once we’d pledged to stay with them. And now, right now, as we abandon these interpreters, these local staff in many of these NGOs, all of these other people, we’ve betrayed them as well, completely betrayed. I mean, I’m ashamed, I’m genuinely ashamed as I think of what we’ve done here.
“My worry is the lack of prioritisation that’s gone into this evacuation. It’s all very well for the prime minister [Boris Johnson] to say, you know, we’ve got huge amounts of people out, the equivalent of a small town. Have we got the right people out? I’m worried that we haven’t. I’m worried that those who are most at risk, many of them are still in Kabul. Many of them are still hiding in cities around Afghanistan.”
Reacting to Thursday’s explosions, Mr Tugendhat dismissed suggestions that the Taliban were now on the same side as coalition troops, saying: “This is an organisation that has been hosted by the Taliban in various different ways, they are now complaining that the dog they taught to bite is biting.”
He said ISIS and the Taliban had “housed and husbanded each other” in various ways for many years.
Speaking to BBC News, he said western powers had to ensure they had not thrown “a tonne of fuel” over the ambitions of other terrorist groups by withdrawing from Afghanistan.
“The reality is there are many other groups that have drawn inspiration from this – Al-Shabaab in the Horn of Africa, Boko Haram in Nigeria, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb in Mali,” he said.
“We need to be making absolutely certain that what we haven’t just done is thrown a tonne of fuel on to the smouldering embers of a very vicious fire.”
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
No more lice
Defining head lice
Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.
Identifying lice
Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.
Treating lice at home
Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.
Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Haltia.ai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202023%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Arto%20Bendiken%20and%20Talal%20Thabet%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20AI%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2041%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20About%20%241.7%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Self%2C%20family%20and%20friends%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m, Winner: ES Rubban, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ibrahim Aseel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Al Mobher, Sczcepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: Jabalini, Tadhg O’Shea, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: AF Abahe, Tadgh O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: AF Makerah, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Law Of Peace, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
Specs
Price, base: Dhs850,000
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 591bhp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.3L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Directed by: Shaka King
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons
Four stars
Queen
Nicki Minaj
(Young Money/Cash Money)
'Shakuntala Devi'
Starring: Vidya Balan, Sanya Malhotra
Director: Anu Menon
Rating: Three out of five stars
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
THE%20SPECS
%3Cp%3EEngine%3A%204.4-litre%20twin-turbo%20V8%20hybrid%0D%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20653hp%20at%205%2C400rpm%0D%3Cbr%3ETorque%3A%20800Nm%20at%201%2C600-5%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3ETransmission%3A%208-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E0-100kph%20in%204.3sec%0D%3Cbr%3ETop%20speed%20250kph%0D%3Cbr%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20NA%0D%3Cbr%3EOn%20sale%3A%20Q2%202023%0D%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh750%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
