War or Higher Education?

The UK Government is cutting University funding by £398 million in 2010/2011. This is because the continuing recession requires us to reduce public spending. I can see the logic in that but I wonder if those savings could be found elsewhere. Like the war in Afghanistan for instance, which costs the UK £10.2 million per day. So, we could reinstate University funding or fight the war for 39 days. Which would you choose?

The war in Afghanistan is no longer a 'war on terror' or about making the world safer (if it ever was) - it is a continuation of the Afghans' civil war that has been going on for 35 years or so. The Soviet Union tried to stabilise it and failed, and now the NATO coalition is failing. In his letter of resignation, Matthew P Hoh of the US State Department sets out quite clearly what the current situation is and gives his view that the Pashtuns who are fighting don't so much support the Taliban as oppose the occupying coalition troops. As Mr Hoh points out, if the strategy is to prevent Al Quaeda from regrouping, then troops should also be sent to Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen etc. The benefits to the UK in terms of security, never mind economically, are arguable at best. But the benefits to the UK of higher education are more quantifiable, both economically and socially. Why else would the UK Government have a target of 50% of school leavers entering higher education?