Rutland MP Alicia Kearns this weekend has demanded Britain becomes part of an international effort to help restore order to Afghanistan.

The MP, who is a foreign policy and security expert, last night branded the withdrawal of NATO and other troops from the country as 'devastating' for the Afghan people and the troops who served there.

Mrs Kearns said on Facebook: " So many are angry, and feel lost in that anger, and I feel the same.

"What's so very galling is that so very many will only recognise the value of the international effort in Afghanistan now, after the withdrawal. Seeing how quickly without that international coalition the Taliban rolls in."

"Suddenly the world's eyes have turned to Afghanistan, which for so long have happily ignored the significant work, the enduring work, required to deliver reduced fragility."

The MP continued: "The speed of the Taliban's sweeping across the country shows how important the multilateral effort was and needed to remain to maintain a fragile stability.

"Our Government called for our allies to remain in country after the US decided to withdraw. I'm aghast that so few partners recognised that by refusing to support our proposals to stay, Afghanistan can only become a full blown failed state: a breeding ground for extremism, destabilising region and beyond. That just one nation apart from us was willing to remain is shocking. The footprint was already only 10,000 NATO troops and supporting resources / kit etc. Of those, 2,500 were American."

The MP argued: "Trump was determined to end the US footprint in Afghanistan because it worked for his narrative - not because Afghanistan was ready, or it would make the US safer, nor because American lives were being lost. At the Doha Agreement there was insufficient focus on how to prevent a descent into conflict and failed state and on meaningful transition. It was all about US withdrawal."

"The refusal to stay and create a new multilateral force undermines two decades of work to strengthen the resilience of Afghanistan, the stability of Asia and the safety of our nation and all those who had fought, trained and lost their lives to make Afghanistan safer.

"The U.K. could not stand alone, we had 750 troops in Afghanistan, but it is a collective failure we will now witness."

Mrs Kearns also warns of the growing and malign influence of China.

She explained: "The refusal from allies to stay underpins a bigger problem: Our international system just doesn't work to save lives:

- The UN has failed to enable a political solution, and even NATO allies we haven't stood together for Afghanistan.

- UN Member states are failing to use the system effectively.

- The system is being undermined by Chinese money flooding fragile states.

- And the system fails to make the case for why enduring peace requires enduring commitment and long term resolve.

"Now, like Syria, a failed state will emerge riddled with terror groups fighting each other, killing civilians and eradicating freedoms.

"All states must now decide what they'll do to minimise the fall out, and what the strategic outcome is that we are working towards. We also need urgent multilateral efforts to counter Chinese and Russian plunder-diplomacy.

"Because China and others are most certainly focused on what their goals are - from securing influence against Pakistan to stripping minerals from Afghanistan and creating an alternative, 'superior' diplomatic track.

"By recognising the Taliban China has taken the first step towards creating an alternative international mechanism, one where Afghanistan looks to them, they're seen to lead, and where they create gravitational shift towards China."

The MP concluded: "I hope the UK will lead a multilateral refugee programme - to ensure the international community protects Afghans who've worked with us all to buy security for our streets, reduce the global drug flow, improve freedoms in Afghanistan and secure reduced fragility in Afghanistan.

"That includes interpreters and those working with the military, but also those delivering FCDO CSSF programmes, aid workers, civil society and others we relied upon to operate safely.

"It should be US that leads this multilateral refugee effort, but I have no confidence they will. I know the Defence Secretary feels strongly about this, and is working to ensure we protect as many lives as we can in the very small window we have available to us.

"But the U.K. cannot save all these lives alone, we need multilateral collective responsibility to mean something and be delivered upon."

She added: "I know so many of our veterans are angry and hurting, and I'm sorry for that pain and the trauma that watching the fall out of this situation will cause you. You saved lives, and changed lives. You brought communities safety and you gave people freedoms. Thank you for your service."