WE have soldiers risking life and limb in Afghanistan fighting a two-pronged battle on our behalf.

Part of their remit is to defeat Taliban and Al Quaeda oppressors who are bloodily attempting to co-erce decent Afghani Moslems into adopting their own corrupt form of alleged religion, and who are responsible worldwide for atrocities designed to force us to join their despicable 'club'.

Another important task they have is to persuade Afghan farmers to stop cultivating poppies for the illegal drugs trade.

I think it pretty obvious that in the case of the latter objective a both carrot stick approach is needed to have any chance of success, and as the illegal drug trade is largely funding the Taliban, the disruption of this trade is a high priority objective.

Why is it then that the latest moved by the British Government has been to reduce funding to the counter-narcotics ministry, the carrot part of the strategy, at a time when our lads and lasses out there could do with all the help they can get.

Every single person in this country who purchases illegal drugs sourced from Afghanistan is helping our enemies.

If Gordon Brown really wants to do something to help our troops he should restore capital punishment for treason.

It is my opinion that every dealer selling such drugs is guilty of this offence, although I accept it would be difficult to prove the actual source of the dealer' wares, but the percentage sold in this country is so high that it would seem logical to hang only a high percentage of the offenders.

ALAN KEBBELL, Southampton.