MaroonMan4
The current generation of politicians do not look further than the next election. To them, that is long term.
Cameron has said we will be out of Afghanistan by 2015, the date of the next election. He cares little about the actual state of that country when we leave, just that we do with the minimum amount of egg on our face. That will, he hopes, buy votes. That and the subtle promise never to do anything like that again. Crippling us before then will mean he does not have to say 'we won't' but 'we can't'. He is in
PR after all.
Everything, the short term pain etc etc is all geared to the political calendar. It's about getting power and keeping it. Pawns like you and me are nothing more than an irritation in the overall scheme of things.