By Henrietta Walsh

Nearly 80 per cent KU students are opposed to the war in Afghanistan and want our troops to come home.

In a recent survey of 140 students, 79 per cent believe the war cannot be won against the Taliban and we should stop any more of our soldiers being killed by bringing them home. 

Charlotte Turner, a second year Social Work student, who is president of the Stop the War Coalition Society, said: "There is no reason for our soldiers to be out there anymore.  We are not liberating the country and we are losing a lot of troops, while tens of thousands of civilians are dying."

The Stop the War Coalition Society organised a 'Troops out of Afghanistan Day' on Friday November 13, where four members lay on the ground as if dead outside the John Galsworthy building for two minutes, to protest against the war. The number of British soldiers killed in Afghanistan since invasion in 2001 has reached 235, with more deaths reported every week. 

Sean Brown, a first year Media and Cultural Studies student, said: "It’s a dirty war that should never have happened in the first place.  It can't be won and there's no just cause."

While the majority of students believe we should pull out of the war, there is also a feeling among some that by committing to the war in Afghanistan, Britain now cannot just leave.

Adam Root, a second year Mechanical Engineering student, said: "I think the troops should be supported more.  Now they are there, they are in too deep to come out." 

The recent controversy over the presidential elections has lead to widespread criticism of the Afghan government, with doubts over the legitimacy of President Hamid Karzai's victory. 

"It's a dirty war that never should have happened in the first place. It can't be won and there's no just cause" - Sean Brown

On Thursday, Hamid Karzai was inaugurated for the second time, three months after the fraud ridden election.  Asmatullah Yaqhubi, a mature KU student who fled Afghanistan in 2002 said: "Karzai is a bad guy, among the worst.  After seven years in power he has done nothing for the people."

Mr Yaghubi continued: "The answer is not to send more troops but Britain and America should invest more in rebuilding and advising the government."

The UK currently has 9000 troops in Afghanistan and there have been suggestions by the government that many more might need to be sent out to help ease the growing pressure on the NATO-led International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF).   

This week Gordon Brown recommended that work could begin next year on a timetable to start transferring power to the Afghan government, which has raised the prospect of the eventual withdrawal of British troops from Afghanistan.