Today's revelations in the Guardian are truly shocking.

They confirm my view that the war in Afghanistan cannot be won.

Why do I say this?

Afghanistan is locked in medievalism. We alone cannot modernise it. It needs the active co-operation of Afghans and I do not believe this is forthcoming.

We place great store in the Afghan National Army and the Police but these institutions reflect the society from which their recruits are drawn. Many are illiterate whose loyalties are uncertain.

Corruption in Afghanistan is deeply embedded – as it is in Pakistan. We should not be asking young men and women in uniform to risk death or horrible mutilations for the Karzai Government.

Last year, when I met MPs from the Afghan Parliament I was told, in a matter of fact way, that people with influence in Kabul were corruptly enriching themselves, buying supermarkets and property in Dubai.

There was, I heard, a big “money pipe” running all the way from Kabul to Dubai.

Sounds believable to me.

And there appears to be a never ending stream of suicide bombers, happy to blow themselves up, taking their fellow Muslims with them if needs be, in the belief that they will be rewarded in heaven.

This reservoir of fanatical suicide bombers doesn't look like drying up any time soon.

Today's revelations will also stoke the hostile anti Americanism that is already deeply rooted in Pakistan, itself a fragile state teetering on the brink.

So. What is to be done?

Let Afghanistan build its own future.

If it proves to be a threat, then follow a policy of containment – as was employed successfully against Iraq until the disastrous Bush/Blair war.

It is not our responsibility to impose, by force, good government on failed States.

Where would it end?