Well done Mrs Janes.

[Cotlake]

However the troops involved in Afghanistan must be supported 100% too and given all and over and above what they need to fight as safely as they can. Also the other Nato nations involved need to pull their fingers out to and contribute much, much ,more. D S D L

Hi Neil,

Certainly I agree about the contribution of other nations. In terms of equipment and technical support, surely what the fighters want and what our government supplies is the perennial arguement. The fighters want the best and the government have to control a budget. There is no answer to this and it only gets expounded owing to individual imotive impact when a loved soldier dies. The hard fact is, if you go to war, soldiers will die. Better kit will probably help prevent death, but it can't be conclusively said to reduce loss of life. Regardless of the level of support, in any war, soldiers will die.

I'm sure the present government would argue they have invested to support our troops to the best of their ability. I have no doubt there is room for more efficiency, but complain as much as we like, I'll generally expect that every government before them has argued they have done their best, going right back to any international conflict after 1066.

Regards,

Greg

[Spectral Morn]

Hi Neil,

Certainly I agree about the contribution of other nations. In terms of equipment and technical support, surely what the fighters want and what our government supplies is the perennial arguement. The fighters want the best and the government have to control a budget. There is no answer to this and it only gets expounded owing to individual imotive impact when a loved soldier dies. The hard fact is, if you go to war, soldiers will die. Better kit will probably help prevent death, but it can't be conclusively said to reduce loss of life. Regardless of the level of support, in any war, soldiers will die.

I'm sure the present government would argue they have invested to support our troops to the best of their ability. I have no doubt there is room for more efficiency, but complain as much as we like, I'll generally expect that every government before them has argued they have done their best, going right back to any international conflict after 1066.

Regards,

Greg

I agree with you.

In war soldiers die, that has always been a fact. Those who join up know that is a risk they face. However since this government committed to the actions in Afghanistan and Iraq they have cut the budget back and started to supplement regular troops with those from the TA. TA training is now reduced to once a month and yet the government expect these guys and gals to fight in a theatre of war...with minimal training, that to me is both ridiculous and a scandal. I just feel that if you are going to commit forces to war they deserve the best regardless...if you can't afford it you should not get into it. A simplistic view perhaps. The whole thing makes me very sad.


Regards D S D L

[anthonyTD]

if we stay i am afraid that we will have to get used to hearing about casualties on a regular basis, is that realy nescesary to prove we care about the ones that have fallen before? i agree about not leaving those people in the mess we are partly responsible for, but we will eventually leave, so the main thing we have to concentrate on as long as we are there is restoring some kind of law and order!
A...

[Spectral Morn]

if we stay i am afraid that we will have to get used to hearing about casualties on a regular basis, is that realy nescesary to prove we care about the ones that have fallen before? i agree about not leaving those people in the mess we are partly responsible for, but we will eventually leave, so the main thing we have to concentrate on as long as we are there is restoring some kind of law and order!
A...

A very hard thing to do.

Modern Afghanistan resembles the wild west of the 1800's in America. There is a lot of work to do, but do the Afghan people want what the West has to offer? That is the more vital question to answer, and if not then what do they want...surely not the Taliban.


Regards D S D L

[Covenant]

I remember a few years ago seeing a picture from Iran of three young men who had had their tongues cut out and ears cut off for saying things against the regime of Saddam. It sickened me so much that I totalled supported what happened after. I dont see potentially much difference in Afganistan-a totalitarian government under the Taliban with complete humiliation of women and a dire education system based on supporting fanatics who rule by intimidation.
To me, whether or not the true reason for us being their is about oil is irrelevant, if we can help ordinary people live reasonable lives.

[Cotlake]

Hmmm, I think you've got that all wrong. The Taliban are currently not in power in Afganistan but they would like to recover that position they once had. Locally in isolated towns and villages, they do hold control because the Afgan government does not have the resources to challenge, leaving the Taliban free to apply their fundamentalist control. Whilst the Taliban fight NATO forces who are trying to train up Afgan government backed troops and organisations so they can take effective control, the problem is that the Afgan government and everything there under is so corrupt it is very difficult to achieve the asperations all NATO forces and western governments have for them. In contrast, the Taliban keep up the fighting hoping that eventially, NATO will retreat and they will then be left to take over as they did after the Russians retreated priviously. This is why it is such an entrenched problem and military leaders tell us it will take years to withdraw with confidence to leave a stable government in charge and holding all under control.

I don't think Afganistan is anything to do with oil, although I agree Iraq probably was. The recent conflict involving America and then NATO was about controlling international terrorism as it seems such terrorists have secured a base in the country and there, people conspire to blow up western premises such as the Twin Towers in New York. This is all about George Bush's original war on terrorism after that event.

Yep, I agree, if we can do something to allow ordinary people to live reasonable lives that would be good. Unfortunately I don't think it is anyway near as simple as that and the corruption endemic within the current government and actually, right throughout the system means that anything we are doing now beit through our armed forces or through humanistic aid is making no positive contribution to the needs of the ordinary povity stricken population. Corruption ensures that just doesn't happen. Big shame!

It's another political nonsence which could suck us in for years without any guarantee of a reasonable outcome leading to the continuing fatality, month by month, year by year of our fine Armed Forces personnel.

Regards,

Greg

[Themis]

I don't think Afganistan is anything to do with oil, although I agree Iraq probably was. The recent conflict involving America and then NATO was about controlling international terrorism as it seems such terrorists have secured a base in the country and there, people conspire to blow up western premises such as the Twin Towers in New York. This is all about George Bush's original war on terrorism after that event.

The problem is not directly the oil : its about protecting and securing the nearby production sites in Iran and the gulf. Furthermore, the actual situation makes the construction of the Trans-Afghanistan pipeline (very important for Pakistan and India) impossible, as it passes through Taliban-controlled territories.

I doubt any country would go to war if it was only (or mainly) for political reasons. We solve political problems using diplomacy, not arms. Especially western countries and still more the USA...

[Covenant]

Greg, I think you missed my use of the word potentially. Left to their own resources we all know what would happen in Afganistan if extremists gain power. I agree it is a really difficult task to graft systems into place so that people can leave reasonable lives but the alternative is to turn our backs and pretend what happens is ok.
Themis hit the nail on the head-protecting the Gulf states is a major factor in why we are there.