Is it because Afghanistan is so far away that we seldom flinch these days when we hear of another member of our military has been killed in the war in that desolate land?
Yesterday morning a serviceman, from 23 Pioneer Regiment,The Royal Logistics Corps, was killed in an explosion in Helmand province. He died as a result of clearing explosive devices.
Clearing IEDs in this war is a thankless task because it's well known that for every IED that is destroyed, it will be replaced within hours by the Taliban. The whole country is blighted by IEDs, placed by Afghanis who purport to defend their countrymen. These devices have caused far more harm to innocent Afghanis than any actions of our armed forces.
A total of 348 UK military personnel have died since the war in Afghanistan began.
Reading this blog yesterday rang a bell. More NATO lies and yet little is said in the British MSM. Our politicians are party to this 'plan'.
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14 comments:
There would appear to an appalling loss of life for those who clear mines. What are the statistics? As leathal as being in the RFC in 1916?
There are some good journalists who are telling us what is really happening in Afghanistan (Guardian and Independent). Even David Pratt in the Herald now seems a lot less of an enthusiast for 'NATOs' mission!
I'll try to find some statistics Strathturret, although as with everything connected with the MoD, they could be impossible to find.
Yes there are a few journalists speaking out more but they need to shout. Currently our leaders just ignore them.
I simply don't understand why we insist on defusing these land mines (let's call them by their proper name and stop pretending that they've been abolished). Once they are located, a remotely detonated small explosive charge is all that is necessary. If that causes a bigger bang which damages local property, hard luck, British lives are more important.
British lives are not more important than Afghan. That's the mistake the USA always makes.
You can't win hearts and minds with that attitude. That gives us Hiroshima.
That wasn't quite what I was suggesting. I can see no reason for risking British lives to defuse these things. We should simply blow them up, but obviously we should clear the area first. But lives do come before property, and I can see no valid reason for defusing them.
Agreed. The use of remote devices to detonate mines must make more sense I would have thought.
Much sense as remote detonation makes in the short term, the ensuing destruction of property would only lead to an increased resentment, refugees and more recruits for those laying the things. I mean, if someone came and blew up my house, told me it was an unavoidable consequence and that they wished me good luck, I'd be pretty pissed off.
Roadside bombs, good argument for remote detonation, because the infrastructure can be replaced and a few crappy roads don't matter too much - in populated areas though there is an argument for defusing them.
The problem is EP, for every one destroyed it is replaced within hours. It's a thankless task.
As far as I can gather remote detonation doesn't work in all cases Strathturret, possibly for the reason EP mentions plus others.
But their destruction is a thankless task lazaruszine. That's what is distressing about the job. They're so easy to produce and the Taleban are expert at placement. I've read they get more and more professional at it so our troops are up against professionals, not illiterate gun-happy idiots.
If Afghanis were invading Scotland I expect you lot would not plant IED's but would roll over and beg.
Christ Rosie, I'm glad you're still here! I've been on 3 sites tonight, CS, GOT and Harbinger who are all throwing the towel in! Ach weel, just us auld twats left.
Has CS given up? I didn't realise that but I knew about the others. I'll miss Gotty. He was always kind.
Highland Cooncil, I don't think so and neither do I think we'd be planting IEDs as they're against NATO protocol.
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