Defence Select Committee: a "boots on the ground" response
Kings of War have a spirited commentary on the Select Committee report on Helmand plus (Post 769 onwards) by an infantry officer who served there in 2006:http://kingsofwar.org.uk/2011/07/dsc-report/#comments
It opens with three paragraphs, which I have edited down:
Quote:
The Report catalogues an array of political, strategic and tactical mistakes and negligence on the part of ministers, military commanders and the Ministry of Defence.
The report has not got the attention it deserves from the media, and the fact that there have been few responses to its publication thus far is an insult to the soldiers and Afghan civilians who died in Afghanistan between 2006 and 2008, when the Helmand operation was woefully under-resourced and under-manned.
The depth of arrogance, ineptitude and negligence revealed in the report is astonishing, and much of its content points the blame at the top military commanders at the time. It seems the decision to deploy to Helmand was not thought through strategically, barely even operationally...
I understand the author's disgust at the lack of public, let alone a political response to the report, as much of the media and political establishment have focussed on the "hacking" scandal for the past ten days or more. What an indictment for a nation supposedly at war in Afghanistan?
There is a Canadian thread
JMA,
There is a long-running SWC thread on the Canadians in Afghanistan, although not updated of late:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=1071
Infanteer,
Slightly puzzled by this post (cited in part):
Quote:
Canada's contingent in 25 ton armoured vehicles were the literal cavalry in Southern Afghanistan; some of the soldiers I commanded took part in what were pretty much rescue operations - moving from Kandahar to Helmand to drive into districts, cannons blazing, to provide relief to beleaguered British elements reduced to drinking ditch water.
Puzzled as I don't recall such a mention in the UK or Canadian threads.:wry:
I don't suppose a British brigade wanted to admit openly it was rescued by a Canadian battle group. Let alone one with armour; my recollection is that the UK did not use our light, old armour the Scimitar family in 2006. Needless to say thank you.
Normal programming resumes....
Rory Stewart offers a logical and intelligent take on the intervention in Afghanistan on a TED presentation:
Rory Stewart: Time to end the war in Afghanistan
So yes it should be acknowledged that the politicians are screwing this one up big time once again (of that there is no doubt) but given that there is a military presence in Afghanistan I personally look more towards the military strategy and tactics employed on the ground and to this end his concluding metaphor about intervention using the example of mountain rescue elucidates an approach I support better than I have been able to express it.