Seeker_UK
Feelin' nearly faded as my jeans
Apparently loads of b52 still bombing the Taliban but the nation feels abandoned by America.
Airpower is no replacement for troops on the ground when it comes to reassuring a population.
Apparently loads of b52 still bombing the Taliban but the nation feels abandoned by America.
Unfortunately I believe this just about sums it up.
Growing poppies still seems to be a big business in Afhghanistan. This needs dealing with and I don't understand why we haven't, effectively, done so to date.
Regards
Richard
Airpower is no replacement for troops on the ground when it comes to reassuring a population.
There is nothing that would reassure me more than having a load of scared kids heavily armed with close and strategic air support not understanding the language and customs rocking up in my neighbourhood, YMMV.
If that's all that stands between you and being returned to the 15th Century by a gang of bearded misogynist thugs who think they're doing God's work, it's reassuring.
YMMalsoV.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammed_Daoud_KhanI'm perfectly aware of the British forays into Afghanistan TYVM. Do NOT attempt to Mansplain to me. Not now, not ever.
The point being is that in the 60's and 70's Afghanistan was a progressive State - indeed I was at school in the 1970s with the son of an Afghan Army Officer.
Then 1979 happened and the Soviets started the **** up. Yes the Yanks supplied the Mujahideen with weapons, then abandoned them in 1989 when the Wall came down.
It's a lot more complex than you would have people believe.
Oh, and don't forget it was Tony B Liar that got us entangled there in 2001.
If that's all that stands between you and being returned to the 15th Century by a gang of bearded misogynist thugs who think they're doing God's work, it's reassuring.
YMMalsoV.
Its not that simple, the West brought widespread corruption and tribal conflicts most people want to get on with their lives without they and their family being collateral damage.
Because Afg. is a bloody big country (650k sq km, slightly bigger than France) , mostly lawless, very poor, and poppies grow like weeds if you provide sun, soil and water. I planted a few yellow ones a couple of years ago and they are everywhere now. Very pretty, in my garden, but bad news if harvested into opium, a very simple process, some rather left field friends of friends of mine did so with poppies in their garden and spent a lot of the next 9 months off their faces before running out and having a bit of cold turkey for a few days. There is no shortage of buyers either.Unfortunately I believe this just about sums it up.
Growing poppies still seems to be a big business in Afhghanistan. This needs dealing with and I don't understand why we haven't, effectively, done so to date.
Regards
Richard
Bit like the Tories then?the Taliban are looking to introduce a way of life that many in Afghan do not want.
Troops on the ground have little psychological effect on insurgents in comparison to air power.Airpower is no replacement for troops on the ground when it comes to reassuring a population.
Is posting a link 'mansplaining' now? The term is just another blocker for anyone learning anything from anyone - I'd rather be mansplained/womansplained/catsplained/childsplained and be a little more enriched.I'm perfectly aware of the British forays into Afghanistan TYVM. Do NOT attempt to Mansplain to me. Not now, not ever.
The point being is that in the 60's and 70's Afghanistan was a progressive State - indeed I was at school in the 1970s with the son of an Afghan Army Officer.
Then 1979 happened and the Soviets started the **** up. Yes the Yanks supplied the Mujahideen with weapons, then abandoned them in 1989 when the Wall came down.
It's a lot more complex than you would have people believe.
Oh, and don't forget it was Tony B Liar that got us entangled there in 2001.
Troops on the ground have little psychological effect on insurgents in comparison to air power.
The fear instilled in the insurgents has a second order and positive effect on the civilian population. For a start the former won't venture out quite as often which allows the civilian population to go about their business a little more easily.Yes but I didn't mention insurgents, I mentioned the civilian population. Reassurance of friendly population and forces is as important as airstrikes; it prevents panic in the population and helps maintain cohesion of friendly forces.
Because Afg. is a bloody big country (650k sq km, slightly bigger than France) , mostly lawless, very poor, and poppies grow like weeds if you provide sun, soil and water. I planted a few yellow ones a couple of years ago and they are everywhere now. Very pretty, in my garden, but bad news if harvested into opium, a very simple process, some rather left field friends of friends of mine did so with poppies in their garden and spent a lot of the next 9 months off their faces before running out and having a bit of cold turkey for a few days. There is no shortage of buyers either.
Airpower is no replacement for troops on the ground when it comes to reassuring a population.
The real reason for the 2001 invasion was, as ever, oil.457 British military lost their lives in Afghanistan. For what ?
Even if you agree the USA (not UK) needed to avenge 9/11 that was with Osama bin Laden/Al Qaeda; not Afghanistan in general or the Taliban. They succeeded in making the Taliban look like resistance fighters.