Goodbye Afghanistan ?

[Peter Brydon]

Seeing the item on the news today about Camp Bastion being handed back to the Afghans I am reminded of two of the battle honours of the old Kings Liverpool Regiment:

Peiwar Kotal and

Afghanistan 1878-80

Members of the Regiment also qualified for the India GSM with the clasp Afghanistan 1919

Wasn't it Churchill who said : The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.

P.B.

[Roy]

You're not wrong there Peter..

It may be 'goodbye' for now and this generation but I'm not holding my breath



Cheers, Roy.

[GriffMJ]

Can anyone point out the benefits of the whole exercise (that isn't a Politician)?

[LONGSHANKS]

I believe 5 times we've been there, with the same outcome each time.

[2747andy]

From a soldiers perspective I would rather go there 20 times if it "reduces" the chance of what happened in Woolwich, not that long ago, London and New York a few years back and Canada only this week, and still goes on now! But most is prevented because we are preempting! It is better to fight Wars in other peoples back gardens rather than on your own doorstep!

We are no longer at war with fanatical regimes, just fanatics, or in layman's terms "Nutters" who do not reason, or act reasonably!

Please, please, please stick to badges and not politics, this site is for those with in interest in collecting such items and not for those who wish vent their spleens on political issues, whose closest encounter to being "Green" is mowing their back lawn/yard ! If that is what you like to do then find another Forum!

Andy

[2747andy]

Originally Posted by GriffMJ

Can anyone point out the benefits of the whole exercise (that isn't a Politician)?

..........................

[Peter Brydon]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-29761100

[badger123]

Originally Posted by 2747andy

Griff,
"Exercise" is what you and your part time buddies get dressed up for every now and then!

Andy

cough, cough.

Careful Mr P, first you start knocking the Badgers and now you start knocking the part timers!

[GriffMJ]

lol

Plenty of part timers with real medals ..... and real experience. Plenty of part timers that served through peace time with no medals. Take a look at the Standards, Guidons and Colours of the part timers...... and read the battle honours.

Here is ours on Horse Guards in 2008....with HRH dishing out some medals to his "part timers". Don't forget that many part timers were "Regs" as well.

[LONGSHANKS]

It may or may not allow us to sleep tight in our bed's a night, time will tell. But that isn't why the British Army did it.

Never in Britain's history was it comforting in seeing the British Army used for greed, bluster or a righteous cause. Men (and women) die on all occasion's.

The why's and what for's are not for us to debate, history will be the judge of those decisions. There is one thing though I can say about this "affair" in a corner of a foreign field . Throughout history no one can criticise the British Army, from the the New Model Army to Camp Bastion; It never question's or second guess's it's superiors, but carries out it's task with the highest professionalism; dissent is not in it's vocabulary. I know some on our list of Allies would disagree, but it is still the best army in the world. Never the best equipped like our cousins across the pond, but steadfast in all situations, even when the last resort is fix bayonets.

In seeing the footage of combat in Helmand, it reminds me of what I consider should be the British Army's un-official song (to me anyway).......

O'er the hills and o'er the main
Through Flanders, Portugal and Spain
King George commands and we obey
Over the hills and far away

When duty calls me I must go
To stand and face another foe
But part of me will always stray
Over the hills and far away

Whether for or against that decision so many years ago, I'm not here to debate either way, but just state my own personal thoughts on the exemplary execution of the task set, as they have always done.

Simon

[REMEVMBEA1]

Originally Posted by LONGSHANKS

It may or may not allow us to sleep tight in our bed's a night, time will tell. But that isn't why the British Army did it.

Never in Britain's history was it comforting in seeing the British Army used for greed, bluster or a righteous cause. Men (and women) die on all occasion's.

The why's and what for's are not for us to debate, history will be the judge of those decisions. There is one thing though I can say about this "affair" in a corner of a foreign field . Throughout history no one can criticise the British Army, from the the New Model Army to Camp Bastion; It never question's or second guess's it's superiors, but carries out it's task with the highest professionalism; dissent is not in it's vocabulary. I know some on our list of Allies would disagree, but it is still the best army in the world. Never the best equipped like our cousins across the pond, but steadfast in all situations, even when the last resort is fix bayonets.

In seeing the footage of combat in Helmand, it reminds me of what I consider should be the British Army's un-official song (to me anyway).......

O'er the hills and o'er the main
Through Flanders, Portugal and Spain
King George commands and we obey
Over the hills and far away

When duty calls me I must go
To stand and face another foe
But part of me will always stray
Over the hills and far away

Whether for or against that decision so many years ago, I'm not here to debate either way, but just state my own personal thoughts on the exemplary execution of the task set, as they have always done.

Simon

There's only one answer to this post and it's hear hear .
I wouldn't take a lot of notice of articles by the BBC as they've always made a practice of pushing for the use of our troops and then of criticising them. I wouldn't be so quick to mock the weekend warriors as a lot of them served in Northern Ireland , Iraq and Afghanistan and served with distinction.

[Hussar100]

Originally Posted by GriffMJ

Can anyone point out the benefits of the whole exercise (that isn't a Politician)?

It was in three phases AFAIR.

Phase 1. Depose the Taliban government and restore democracy.

Phase 2. Track down and apprehend/TWP Osama bin Laden - and destroy Al Qaeda operations in Afhganistan.

Phase 3. Suppress Taliban and other irregulars for long enough to train an indigenous army and police force who would be strong enough to resist the inevitable Taliban (and other irregulars) backlash when foreign troops leave.

Mission command have made it clear they don't consider phase three to be complete but the outgoing president of Afghanistan made it clear he felt otherwise and requested a timetable for withdrawal.

What's likely to happen now is that the Taliban will make a new and violent play for power but other religious power groups and militias may be involved, just as in Iraq.

[GriffMJ]

That sounds about right..... the power vacuum will become apparent shortly.... lets see what happens.

[Hussar100]

Originally Posted by GriffMJ

That sounds about right..... the power vacuum will become apparent shortly.... lets see what happens.

There's no power vacuum per se. The Afghan police and army are extremely well equipped with western uniform and weapons. Some units are well trained and extremely brave. Unfortunately they have proven difficult to train and loyalty is dubious in a lot of cases so you may see entire units going over to the Taliban because, let's face it, quite a large percentage of the population want them back. There's also the extremely high likelihood of infiltration of the security forces and army by Taliban members.


My personal view is that a lot depends on the air force and that's the arm I know least about.

[ubervamp]

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