LONDON, England (CNN) -- Given its long history of warfare, the United Kingdom is not squeamish about fatalities in time of war and yet a debate has been ignited by the deaths of 15 British soldiers in Afghanistan over the last few weeks. The question now is whether this profound soul-searching results in a more efficient policy towards the war-torn country. Soldiers from the Welsh Guards carry the coffin of Maj Sean Birchall, killed on patrol in Afghanistan in June. The West became involved in fighting in Afghanistan principally because the Taliban government allowed a non-state actor to carry out acts of terrorism unhindered from within its borders.
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Debate in UK sparked by recent deaths of 15 British soldiers in Afghanistan
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Al Qaeda and Taliban are separate entities but have strong links
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Major military obstacle is fighting insurgency with insufficient forces, equipment
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UK government under pressure at home to revise policy on Afghanistan
The main difference between the two seems to be in the scope of their objectives: while the @placeholder is content with imposing its religious beliefs system on Afghanistan, al Qaeda has a global agenda of building a new Caliphate.