Major-General Julian Thompson: This is a deadly phase but we must keep the pressure up
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Independent Minds
This is very sad and sobering news and of course it is heartbreaking for the families and friends of those who have died. But we are at war and we as a nation have to accept that there will be more losses to come.
I do not think that the Government has adequately explained to the British people what is entailed in Afghanistan. That is partly because the Iraq war is controversial and unpopular and the feeling appears to be "Let's not talk about the war" when it comes to Afghanistan as well.
But we are not only in a war now, we are in a particularly active and violent phase of this war. We are taking the campaign to the Taliban and they are hitting back. We must keep up the pressure on the enemy, gain ground and hold it. We also must recognise that this campaign will go on for quite a long time. This means that the rate of casualties will, inevitably, go up.
But there are crucial matters that must be addressed. There is understandable concern about inadequate protection afforded by some of our armoured vehicles and obviously that is something which needs to be rectified. But let's not fool ourselves, there can never be 100 per cent protection. Each time we upgrade and deploy armoured vehicles the other side tries to produce something which will penetrate that and injure and kill members of our armed forces.
The real answer then is to get more helicopters. Of course the Taliban can, theoretically, shoot them down with ground-to-air missiles. But they have, thankfully, not been successful in doing that so far, at least partly because of technological defences, the details of which are best not discussed in public.
To get helicopters – chartering them and buying them – costs money. And here we come to the crux of the matter: to mount continuous engagements abroad, as this Government has done, one needs money, an enlarged defence budget.
We know that we are living in economically straitened times but that is the bottom line. Thus the Strategic Defence Review, which has just been announced, must look at how best to utilise the resources and jettison some projects so that our force in Afghanistan gets the best protection possible.
What has happened does, of course, look very grim. But let's not forget that between 1971 and 1974, no fewer than 236 British soldiers were killed in Northern Ireland. There were 19 killed at Warrenpoint alone. The British public learned to live with that and the same will happen in Afghanistan, but the Government must do a much better job of explaining to the people what the war is all about and what the proposed endgame is.
Major-General Julian Thompson is former commander of the Royal Marines and is professor of war studies, King's College, London University
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Comments
Helmand is twice the size of Wales - even with US support the small British force might, ponderously, "gain ground" but how can they hold it? Out of a force size of about 8000 only a couple of thousand will be front line infantry soldiers at most. One report suggested that casualties, exhaustion, illness and lack of replacements has already reduced infantry battalions to half strength. Talk of holding ground - a load of poxy scrub and desperate fly-blown villages - is imbecilic in these circumstances when there are no reliable local forces available
We also know that the Talibs have improved their tactics, that they choose when to engage and when to break off. We have no answer to their explosive devices, the largest of which can destroy a tank
Certainly helicopters would make a big difference to reduce IED attacks on vehicles, but troops will still remain vulnerable as the tragic destruction of the foot patrol shows. But greater mobility will not produce decisive results , and it must be assumed that the Talibs will acquire sophisticated AA weapons
"And here we come to the crux of the matter: to mount continuous engagements abroad, as this Government has done, one needs money, an enlarged defence budget."
What part of "Britain is bankrupt" is it that you do not understand? - it's only 3 words
"What has happened does, of course, look very grim. But let's not forget that between 1971 and 1974, no fewer than 236 British soldiers were killed in Northern Ireland. There were 19 killed at Warrenpoint alone. The British public learned to live with that and the same will happen in Afghanistan,"
This is absolutely ridiculous - in Northern Ireland there were 30000 reliable security force personnel against an insurgent force with a couple of hundred effectives at any one time recruiting from a population of 500000, for the most part. To say nothing of distance and hostile terrain.
The ratios and the general situation in Malaya were also infinitely more favourable to the conduct of a successful campaign.
You are either a poor teacher of war studies or a propagandist for a bad cause
"Thus the Strategic Defence Review, which has just been announced, must look at how best to utilise the resources and jettison some projects so that our force in Afghanistan gets the best protection possible. "
Protection of our homeland is what counts, not Afghanistan. The obvious thing to do is to leave - like the Canadians are going to do in 2011
Don't hold your breath waiting for Zanu coming up with anything coherent - Brown's Phd in Scottish Labour history isn't going to stand them in very good stead
That's going to cost alot of money and lives.
That British servicemen's lives should be put at risk to support the preening of the dysfunctional British government is beneath contempt. And they cannot be bothered to support the servicemen by providing them with proper equipment. But they do encourage the people of Wooton Bassett to turn out to honour the ever-increasing numbers of dead. Well, it doesn't cost anything, does it?
But let's not forget that between 1971 and 1974, no fewer than 236 British soldiers were killed in Northern Ireland. There were 19 killed at Warrenpoint alone. The British public learned to live with that and the same will happen in Afghanistan, but the Government must do a much better job of explaining to the people what the war is all about and what the proposed endgame is.The Luagh ha ha ha ha ha ha aha he he he hickuup The real answer then is to get more helicopters....JUST WAIT ^^^^?^^^^^^???????????-???-???-???-?? ???? ????^^^^^????? ? ?-?RIP
Brown says spend, spend to save. I disagree with spending and saving as I think spending is for pleasure, the economic term, my choice. The saving is forced by the government. Is this democracy? I wonder. How will we agree the stock with cash flow? Spen spend spend please pleee ass eple apple pl
I thank you
Firozali A. Mulla