Stephen Venner said his comments in a newspaper interview appeared "incredibly insensitive," as he underlined his support for British troops battling Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan.

The Anglican clergyman nevertheless argued that it would be harder to reach a peaceful solution to the war in Afghanistan if the Taliban insurgents were all portrayed as "pure evil."

"There's a large number of things that the Taliban say and stand for which none of us in the West could approve, but simply to say therefore that everything they do is bad is not helping the situation because it's not honest," he told the Daily Telegraph.

"The Taliban can perhaps be admired for their conviction to their faith and their sense of loyalty to each other."

In clarifying his comments, Venner told BBC television that the words were were from a short section of a long interview.

"The way it's come out .... makes it look incredibly insensitive and if that has caused offence, I am deeply grieved by it because that's the very last thing that I would want to do," he said.

The British government's strategy in Afghanistan includes attempting to divide the Taliban insurgency by splitting off mercenaries from the Islamist militant hardcore and encouraging them into the democratic fold.

In a statement, Venner gave his "full support" to the British troops and their allies.

"The way that the Taliban are waging war in Afghanistan is evil, both in their use of indiscriminate killing and their terrorising of the civilian population. No religion could condone their actions," he said.

The conflict has claimed the lives of 100 British soldiers this year alone, and 237 since the Taliban was ousted from power in 2001.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown vowed Sunday a renewed effort to defeat the Taliban as he made an unannounced visit to troops in Afghanistan.

earlier related report
Taliban can be admired for loyalty, says British army bishop
London (AFP) Dec 13, 2009 - The Taliban can be admired for conviction to their faith and sense of loyalty to one another, according to the new bishop of Britain's armed forces, in comments published late Sunday.

The Church of England's Right Reverend Stephen Venner said it would be harder to reach a peaceful solution to the war in Afghanistan if the Taliban insurgents were all portrayed as "pure evil."

"There's a large number of things that the Taliban say and stand for which none of us in the west could approve, but simply to say therefore that everything they do is bad is not helping the situation because it's not honest really," he told the Daily Telegraph in comments published on its website.

"The Taliban can perhaps be admired for their conviction to their faith and their sense of loyalty to each other."

The bishop said that some of their methods of combat were not honourable or acceptable, but argued that it was unhelpful to demonise them.

"We must remember that there are a lot of people who are under their influence for a whole range of reasons, and we simply can't lump all of those together," he said.

"To blanket them all as evil and paint them as black is not helpful in a very complex situation."

Venner, recently commissioned in his role by the head of the Church of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, stressed his admiration for the sacrifices that British troops have made.

The conflict has claimed the lives of 100 British soldiers this year alone, and 237 since the hardline Taliban regime was ousted in 2001.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown vowed Sunday a renewed effort to defeat the Taliban as he made an unannounced visit to troops in the field.

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