Yes it is acknowledged that it was a difficult time at the start of Herrick 4 (2006) but then most wars are hectic. It is far easier if there is an admission that given the limited options available to the Brits at that time they chose the wrong one. Time to move on.
Yes again agreed that the US needs to keep the Brits on sides politically. So once again we can anticipate a less than perfect outcome. The sad news is that only the Brits can be the losers when it doesn't work out so well.I quite agree and this does make sense from a tactical point of view. However this may cause a collapse of the UK strategic centre of gravity (the support of the UK domestic population) and as such is an issue that needs to be considered at all levels from tactical through to strategic. Helmand and the Helmand place names are now well known to the British public, a move away might be perceived as a retreat and would certainly raise questions about government competence to date. A new government may wish to take the risk, but it is significant. Coalition ops are messy!
That's why you need to read the King paper. The Brig Cmdrs seem to have had too much leaway in their choice of how to operate.I am not sure what you mean by this. The UK are following the agreed ISAF CONOPS as laid down by McCrystal. I see more signs of tactical experimentation by US units then British, especially in the US use of money and their willing to engage (politically) with parties on the ground.
Do read the King paper.I have not read the King report, however I would say that training troops in theatre to the degree which you are intimating is likely to fall foul of UK Health and Safety Legislation (which stipulates that troops should be equipped and trained prior to deployment to Theatre). The repatriation of UK dead from theatre (instead of burying in situ) and subsequent coroner's inquests have had some unforseen consequences; not least an unparralled (and IMHO uninformed) scrutiny by coroner's inquests resulting in adverse publicity and very very scared politicians.
OK, so there is yet another self imposed limiting factor the Brits have. Fix it.
The Brits have a division in theatre?Well we have volunteer Afghan battalions already in the shape of 205 Corps ANA I would rather see a more permanent presence at Regional Command (Division) level.
I understand it (the raising of independent battalions especially for Afghanistan) will never happen within Herrick as the Brits are not capable of that degree of lateral thinking but do you see the potential benefits of such a system for the prosecution of the war in Afghanistan?
Having reduced effective IED detonations to 25% of those laid is very good indeed. There is no doubt about it.Our drills are equipment are pretty slick at this. The issue is that where we hear IED but the reality on the groud is that they are operating in medium to high intensity intelligent minefields. No one solution fits and a holistic approach is required. We have to detect and attack the device (tick very good here); attack the network (tick very good here), dominate the ground (tick not so good here, need more ISTAR and more boots on the ground) and encompassing all is bringing the locals on side so that they do not allow by commission or omission IEDs to be placed (tick pretty good programme in place here!)
But there seems to be a reluctance to accept that regardless of the law of diminishing marginal returns there is still room for improvement. 7 out of the last 10 Brit fatalities were IED related. The last mile is always the hardest.
Yes officially the US must keep their Brit buddies happy especially when the other coalition forces seem ready to jump ship. I would have thought this was obvious?The feedback I have is that the US are pretty happy with our performance. They know we did not do so well in part in Iraq, but that was then; we have learnt lessons, changed TTPs and moved on. In Afghanistan particularly in how we are linking Mil and non-mil within a coherent strategy (the top Brit man in Helmand is a civilian) we are setting the way.
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