Comments on: The tragedy of Afghanistan http://lordsoftheblog.net/2008/09/18/the-tragedy-of-afghanistan/ Life and Work in the House of Lords Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:26:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: baronessdsouza http://lordsoftheblog.net/2008/09/18/the-tragedy-of-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-1612 baronessdsouza Sat, 20 Sep 2008 15:39:05 +0000 http://lordsoftheblog.wordpress.com/?p=758#comment-1612 Alex Benee - yes, politics always gets in the way and I would go so far as to say that the war in Afghanistan is now hoisted on its own political petard! The question of resources is a difficult one - on the whole senior personnel now feel that they have adequate protections in terms of body armour etc BUT they are still a relatively small force fighting a pervasive enemy. Perhaps the surge indicated by the Americans at some point next year will help? Senex - someone recently described Afghanistan as a confederation of mediaeval settlements and there is some truth in this. Apart from the 4-5 major cities Afghanistan is still a de-centralised series of local warlordships, each having absolute control over their areas and with the arms to maintain control. The country has never been governed from the centre and the experience of governance so far has not been good, too much corruption and not enough public service. This really is the crux of the matter, if the Government could deliver then the people would be prepared to distance the Taliban and possibly even get rid of the poppies. One thing Afghans have is a terrific sense of humour so Homer Simpson would, I'm sure, appeal. Alex Benee – yes, politics always gets in the way and I would go so far as to say that the war in Afghanistan is now hoisted on its own political petard!

The question of resources is a difficult one – on the whole senior personnel now feel that they have adequate protections in terms of body armour etc BUT they are still a relatively small force fighting a pervasive enemy. Perhaps the surge indicated by the Americans at some point next year will help?

Senex – someone recently described Afghanistan as a confederation of mediaeval settlements and there is some truth in this. Apart from the 4-5 major cities Afghanistan is still a de-centralised series of local warlordships, each having absolute control over their areas and with the arms to maintain control.

The country has never been governed from the centre and the experience of governance so far has not been good, too much corruption and not enough public service. This really is the crux of the matter, if the Government could deliver then the people would be prepared to distance the Taliban and possibly even get rid of the poppies.

One thing Afghans have is a terrific sense of humour so Homer Simpson would, I’m sure, appeal.

]]> By: Senex http://lordsoftheblog.net/2008/09/18/the-tragedy-of-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-1611 Senex Sat, 20 Sep 2008 13:13:32 +0000 http://lordsoftheblog.wordpress.com/?p=758#comment-1611 I'm sure your visit was a much needed morale booster for the military. However, if Afghanistan is currently a victim of a criminal cabal fighting a guerrilla war it is also the victim of long standing climate change, a change that robbed the geographical area of its prosperity and civilisation. These tricksters who fight and abuse the word Taliban support the only real enemy of Islam that has ever existed: and the name of this enemy? The desert! As they say their daily prayers to fill their cupped hands they refresh their faces not with water but with the dry sand of human misery. The Afghan people away from the cities have lives that have not changed for centuries. It is this that makes them so tough and resilient. Why should a people stay in an area that is so hard to live in? I suggest it is simply parochialism and critical mass in terms of people. They are a warm and pleasantly mannered people but poorly educated, who feel they have a right to bear arms and are in possession of a demanding code of honour. Cross them at your peril! The way to defeat 'Jesse James and the Hole in the Wall Gang' that now intimidate the tribal chieftains is to give everybody access to television so that ordinary people may become aware of the world at large and the wonders of a civilisation that exists beyond their borders. Homer Simpson is bound to be an education? Ref: http://www.guimet.fr/Afghanistan-rediscovered-treasures I’m sure your visit was a much needed morale booster for the military.

However, if Afghanistan is currently a victim of a criminal cabal fighting a guerrilla war it is also the victim of long standing climate change, a change that robbed the geographical area of its prosperity and civilisation.

These tricksters who fight and abuse the word Taliban support the only real enemy of Islam that has ever existed: and the name of this enemy? The desert! As they say their daily prayers to fill their cupped hands they refresh their faces not with water but with the dry sand of human misery.

The Afghan people away from the cities have lives that have not changed for centuries. It is this that makes them so tough and resilient. Why should a people stay in an area that is so hard to live in?

I suggest it is simply parochialism and critical mass in terms of people. They are a warm and pleasantly mannered people but poorly educated, who feel they have a right to bear arms and are in possession of a demanding code of honour. Cross them at your peril!

The way to defeat ‘Jesse James and the Hole in the Wall Gang’ that now intimidate the tribal chieftains is to give everybody access to television so that ordinary people may become aware of the world at large and the wonders of a civilisation that exists beyond their borders. Homer Simpson is bound to be an education?

Ref:
http://www.guimet.fr/Afghanistan-rediscovered-treasures

]]> By: Alex Bennee http://lordsoftheblog.net/2008/09/18/the-tragedy-of-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-1610 Alex Bennee Fri, 19 Sep 2008 09:46:22 +0000 http://lordsoftheblog.wordpress.com/?p=758#comment-1610 The greatest tragedy of Afghanistan is that we took our attention off it in the rush to get involved with the war in Iraq. Still what's done is done and I hope the renewed focus on Afghanistan will pay off. I wish NATO could unify it forces more so they can operate under a common strategy and rules of engagement however I suspect that politics get in the way. Do you feel the troops are getting the full support in men and equipment that they need for their current role? The greatest tragedy of Afghanistan is that we took our attention off
it in the rush to get involved with the war in Iraq. Still what’s done
is done and I hope the renewed focus on Afghanistan will pay off. I
wish NATO could unify it forces more so they can operate under a
common strategy and rules of engagement however I suspect that
politics get in the way.

Do you feel the troops are getting the full support in men and
equipment that they need for their current role?

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