Yesterday, on a day when another soldier, a Royal Marine, was killed in an explosion, Gordon Brown made a 'secret' visit to Helmand province. The marine is the 208th member of the British forces to die since our troops became involved in Afghanistan.
As I've stated before these visits to war zones from dignitaries and politicians cause so much upheaval to the military routine that this would have been planned for at least a couple of weeks.
That aside, the message sent back to the UK was that our PM was considering talking to the Taliban, deploying extra troops to destroy the killer IEDs and increasing personnel to speed up the creation of the Afghan army. He hopes the surge will see the Afghans take over and British troops start to come home. No timescale was mentioned for their withdrawal.
The main message of the new approach is a major diplomatic offensive to win over warlords and tribal leaders who have backed the Taliban in the past.
Speaking yesterday to both main candidates in last week's Afghan national elections, the outcome of which will finally be determined next month, Brown promised them thousands more troops. (Observer)
At least 200 specialist soldiers will be sent out to double the number clearing the Taliban roadside bombs which have killed 35 British troops and injured dozens more in two months.
So during his extended holiday our PM was planning to send more troops into this war zone and has promised the Afghan politicians he'll do exactly that.
Why is it US, British and Commonwealth military are constantly in the front line when the other nations ensure their military contributions are kept well out of harms way. Perhaps General Sir David Richards, who becomes head of the army this week, will be able to give us some answers.
Note: It was 42 degrees in Helmand when Gordon Brown visited. That explains why he looked so hot under the collar, or was it because he felt a slight twinge of conscience promising our soldiers more equipment - a promise which he knows he won't deliver in the immediate future.
Source: Sunday Telegraph
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8 comments:
Apparently he bumped a long-planned Cameron visit. This will backfire badly.
See here how much they would have preferred his Nemesis, than Jimmy Snot! Note Jimmy's ever more obvious mincy pose!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/downingstreet/3868751719/
All we've got left is the export of force of arms.
Are we now a mercenary nation?
Ah Jess, that explains a bit. I heard some of the press expected someone else but certainly not Brown.
OR you're right, his affectations are becoming more obvious. I notice too when he was speaking on TV his jaw is starting to drop again.
Possibly Incoming. Exporters of arms and cannon fodder.
I was under the impression that we signed up under NATO for peacekeeping operations.
That's not what it turned out to be.
As for that buffoon turning up; I'm surprised that any troops were prepared to shake his hand. Still, I suppose, when you are under orders, you just have to do it.
When he comes on telly these days I have to turn the volume
off. The sound of his voice makes me physically sick. Seriously!
You're not the only person to feel repulsed by Brown Tris, I'm one too.
The peace-keeping was just talk, spin, whatever you want to call it.
All done in an attempt to woo the public into believing our troops were never to be in danger.
Liars.
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