How often have I heard the words, "Other NATO countries will be supplying their share of troops to the Afghanistan conflict," from Bob Ainsworth or one of his side kicks? Quite a few times. How often have we had a concise reply from him when he's been asked for the numbers each country is prepared to send to Afghanistan? Not once.
However, the Jury Team political party has analysed the latest information from ISAF, the NATO Afghanistan military command and has come up with some startling facts.
They show that we are providing three times more troops per head of the population than our European NATO allies.
The UK with 9,500 troops has 154 soldiers per million of population.
France, Germany and Italy have a ratio of only 58, 54 and 52 per million respectively and Spain, Portugal and Greece only have 23, 10 and 1 per million.
We also have more than the US which has 152 per million.
Fatalities are even more agonising. Relative to our size we have had over 12 times more deaths than our European NATO allies. During 2006-09 Britain suffered 240 troops killed from its 61 million population. In the same period all other European NATO countries combined have only had 169 deaths from a total population of 495 million.
The Jury Team believes their policy should be to limit the number of British troops sent to Afghanistan to the average number sent by other NATO countries (relative to their population). I strongly agree with them. We have soldiers who are battle-fatigued yet they are redeployed to this conflict over and over again without receiving a reasonable length of respite.
This war is costing us billions, money which could be spent wisely here at home, yet so few of us protest. We are a part of NATO, one country from a total of 28 and we should be contributing on a fair basis. It is well documented that many other NATO countries refuse to send more troops because they are conscious of public opinion.
It's time we ensured our politicians were aware of public opinion and telling them that they must reduce out troop numbers from 9,500 to around 4,000, in line with other countries, would be a good place to start.
Alan Wallace has the statistics from all NATO countries at his place.
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12 comments:
How about we don't send any pull out those that are there?
Simples - and sod NATO!
SR,
Data manipulation to make it look like we're sacrificing/doing too much! (Teasing!)
The US is the far biggest contributor of pax, funds and equipment and has more deaths, even Estonia and Denmark are suffering but doing their bit.
I can see the point that NATO are dragging their arses over this, thankfully in an Independent Scotland we will not be part of NATO, it doesn't work and I've witnessed the corruption within NATO which makes doing business almost sickening.
I do not support this War and I don't agree with the Government's blind policy of throwing more lives at it - to what end - shoring up a corrupt Afghan Government? What would a non-corrupt Taliban Government do? Not what NATO and the West would wish for that's for sure.....I'm going to have a struggle with my conscience if pinged, it's all right having principles but at the end of the day I live in a Democracy.
I think things will and must change post Election - wonder what Call me Dave's position is - or will he bend to Whitehall Mandarins?
A reduction in troops is a good idea but in order to provide our own security it will not change in the forseeable.
Sad times and brave men and women sacrificing what little they have for Za Nu Liebore - I predict a riot when this ends and people realise how futile their actions have been and how quickly the Government will forget them amongst all the other pressures that are brought to bear...
CD
We don't have any politicians who would support that WFW, they all want to be seen as saviours of Afghanistan.
Oh we do SR - they just haven't been elected yet!
You think the US put far more into this than the UK per head of population CD? My figures (the ones I've managed to accumulate) say it's about the same, although of course it would seem the US does because of its size compared with us.
I would agree they appear to be the suppliers of far more equipment though.
Dave has said little about it or if he has then I've missed it. There's been no real policy announcement from the tories.
Why don't these other countries feel their security is threatened? I'm a bit lost on that bit.
Now that's a sure statement. They'll be forgotten about right enough. Put to the back of the queue, along with the pensioners. We must concentrate on the children will be the ongoing message. Poor children and their dumbed down education.
I can only pray you're right WFW. :)
In your reply to CD Rosa you hit the nail on the head.
Why is it other countries don't feel as exposed to this terror threat as the US and Britain?
Could it be down to there less antagonistic approach to the problem?
As to the statistics, once again the demented promoters have the country punching above its weight. This sceptred isle with its arthritic clunking fist desperately trying to hide its bolemic impotence while being bleed to death by the snake-oil salesmen who represent it.
SR,
I know the US make a greater contribution to Afghanistan than the UK, as they did and still do in Iraq. I'm not saying we don't do our duty, clearly we do, but WHY do we do our bit?
Why? as you, I and Crinkly point out - why should we feel threatened at "home"?
Here's a thought - Immigration (illegal) and failed assylum has not addressed peoples' desire to use the opportunity of being in the UK to better their lot. To be frank it has been mismanaged to the point of incompetence.
Whether workshy or jusy plain lazy - they get access to whatever they can through blagging/bleeding the welfare system, which was not designed to carry the weight of what Labour has subjected every working citizen of the UK to.
Perhaps they were told the UK was the land of opportunity and when their fantasies of whatever they thought they were getting didn't hit realisation then instead of fitting into society they decide to tear it apart or remain in enclaves. Or try and change it to look like their former country! The UK being such a fair place to live - come and practice your way of life and make mine inferior somehow....if you believe the MSM.
I don't feel threatened by Terrorists, far from it, I'm sure they have genuine grieviances held against a once Imperialistic UK and how the Colonisation of the World brought about benefits and jealousies alike.
The UK still pretends and punches above its weight to gently assuage those we have made legal and binding pacts with for business deals and expect us to protect - we have over stretched ourselves in a desperate bid to remain at the table of World Order with no Aces in our hand.
Deluded and weakend, the UK is leaving itself wide open to threats from within, it's influence is not what it was.
Time Whitehall and Westmidden realised this and took stock of where the UK is at now and where it is likely to be in 20 years.
I hope to be living in an Independent Scotland - how about you?
CD
It certainly could be RA, yes indeed. I seldom read emotive language such as we have from Brown & Co coming from the likes of Germany or France.
CD I don't think the UK makes a greater contribution military wise than the US, I think it's roughly the same in percentage terms.
Where I think they do contribute more is in hardware/equipment.
If these statistics are anywhere near the truth then we're punching way above our weight in comparison to 25 of the other NATO countries. That doesn't surprise me in the least.
Immigration was managed by it now being discovered labour wanted an influx of immigrants. So it was mismanaged purposely if you like.
We have the most generous welfare system in the world and the world knows it. Even the Americans are surprised how easily we hand over money at times.
I don't feel threatened by terrorists either but I do feel threatened by the government we have at present. It rules by fear instead of hope and that's the way it's been for the past 13 years.
That's my dream and I hope I live long enough to see the reality. :)
SR,
Agree! The Labour lot are very sinister, dark, obfuscators who have much in common with the 3rd Reich and Politburo in a cross pollination of the most misguided kind!
We do do more than the rest of NATO but others give a valid contribution, I accept that. It is difficult not to give the US credit but they have modern warfare squared away.
Roll on the election Madame
CD
I didn't intend to dilute the US's contribution CD.
Don't think this election will be too exciting, next year it will be hopefully though.
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