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Is History Repeating Itself in Afghanistan?

Paul | 07.09.2006 14:52 | Analysis | Oxford

What the hell are British troops doing in Helmand province of Afghanistan? I have just returned from nearly three years in Afghanistan and a year ago when the deployment was being planned it was obvious that the 'strategy' was a joke. Now NATO is claiming it has the Taliban trapped. Keep counting the body bags.

Is History Repeating Itself?
"We are closing the circle on the Taleban, we have got the Taleban in a bit of a trap," Nato spokesman Major Quentin Innes told the Reuters news agency. Is history repeating itself? I believe when the British demonstrated similar confidence in the eighteenth century it pre-empted an embarrassing defeat. When one refers to the Taliban in Helmand one refers to anyone against the foreign force there. This can be foreign jihadists trying to get to heaven, Afghan Taliban, paid local fighters, local commanders looking for personal gain or poor farmers who do not want to have their poppy crop destroyed and face starvation. Not sure if that leaves many left in Helmand except those working for the government and Afghan and British forces. The sad thing is that the outcome was predicted and obvious to anyone who knows anything about Afghanistan and even human nature. A year ago I sat, with a political advisor and a UN security man in Kabul, discussing the likely outcome of the British going into Helmand. Most of this consisted of black humour because it was so blindingly obvious. If the British government had thought about it instead of reaction to America’s desire to have British troops go in they would have anticipated the result. Instead John Reid talked of how he would not be surprised if the British did not fire a shot in three years. At the same time the Taliban were talking of how they would do the same to the young British troops as they had done to their grandfathers. We can expect at least two British troops killed a week in Helmand while a record poppy crop is harvested.
I am not saying that an economy reliant on opium is a good thing but that the strategy used to combat it is ridiculous. If you try to take a family's only means of survival away and offer no compensation or alternative then you should not be surprised that they are not too welcoming and perhaps join the only force fighting you. However, if you offer compensation for the loss of the crop and develop an alternative then perhaps the local population may not try and kill you and there would be less reason for locals to join or support the Taliban. Do we really need think tanks to tell us this? Do not expect a great victory this time either.

Paul

Comments

Hide the following 3 comments

Poppycock

07.09.2006 16:56

Well, this would be an extraordinary development, especially since the Taliban banned the growing of poppies for opium, wiped out most of the countries poppy plantations, reducing production by 80%, and made poppy growing a severe religious offence.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taliban#Opium_trade

Qwerty


yesssssssssssss rome made attila the hun

08.09.2006 00:58

rome made attila the hun by not doing these things---------------------seperation popualtion military they come togheter during war ancient sparta----------rome had little white boys that wulld go home dead on sheidld and walk out----leenesea allegince rule rome secertly---they would walk out---------------attila the hun------------------came from not dong these things or incorrectly ldoing what ever-----------------------yes same mistakes---------see rome madde attila the hun by not doing these things its int he minetours yarn---------------the secerts of the ancients--and of there god--zeuse-----------percevied by a population under the influence of the military sid bad--------------sword sheild boom boom boom boom-----sin bad until sid bad-----and you will know also---stick shift it until the war bugs like ancient rome----hook it up i can do this so now also can you folllow the yarn--------------------

opee taylor


hook it up and get it to stonehenge----icn do this

08.09.2006 01:04

so now also can you follow the yarn---------------------------------------stone hen--gen merlins magic----------ancient tv-----------spartans called it a catilist--------------rabbit ears-----stone-hen-ge-------notice the walls of stone-hen-ge each opening represents armed mass-es armed with swords sheilds helll storming threw one of the openings--------------------next step would be evernt ex-cal-i-bur-----------------merlins magic is now also yours read the book merilin king aurthor now you will understand much but i dont think all---tehy called it witchcraft------you tell me read------------------------------------------------------------------

merlin


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