Another bad day in Afghanistan

[Gromit]

// At 2.30pm on Wednesday, Corporal Channing Day was on foot patrol in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province when her unit came across an Afghan man wearing ordinary clothes. The man apparently had a weapon and was washing his hands.

Precisely what happened next is shrouded in confusion, but the result was a firefight in which Cpl Day lost her life at the age of 25. While the Ministry of Defence was unable to produce a definitive account of the incident, Afghan officials suggested that the British soldiers, no doubt in a state of heightened alert, had mistaken the man for a Taliban insurgent and opened fire.
In fact, they said, he was an Afghan policeman who had left his checkpoint nearby to clean himself before prayer.

According to one official, the policeman’s colleagues saw him come under attack and returned fire. One source said the British even began firing rockets.

Amid the confusion, three people, Cpl Day, Cpl David O’Connor, a Royal Marine from 40 Commando, and the policeman, were killed. //

It is bad enough to lose lives due to 'friendly fire', but this sounds totally avoidable and a mess.

Have we reach a point in Afghanistan where we are part of the problem, rather than part of the solution?

[petal54]

I feel it's a no win situation out there,outsiders have never 'cured' anything,seem to make things worse

[stewey]

I think that you summed it up at the beginning of your fourth paragraph, Gromit: "Amid the confusion".

[keyplus90]

////Have we reach a point in Afghanistan where we are part of the problem, rather than part of the solution?////

Better late than never.

[emmie]

suggest your headline should say bad day for the families of those killed in the service of their country.

[New Judge]

I think the point is that the enterprise in which our boys and girls are taking part in that godforsaken hole (living in tents whilst Afghans live in the UK in council flats) is not achieving much for the UK. Now if they were in Pakistan.....

[anotheoldgit]

In time honoured fashion, this poster has only posted this in a vain attempt to once again criticise the British and their troops.

Note also that he has gone to the trouble of naming Corporal Channing Day, but it wasn't until the OP's fourth paragraph that he took the trouble to mention the other young life that was lost, that being Cpl David O’Connor, of the Royal Marines.

As pointed out by em10 a completely wrong worded headline, no mention at the sorry lost of two young lives, who were unnecessarily killed fighting an unwinable war, against a people that can't be defiantly classed as either a friend or foe.

And before fingers are pointed in any particular direction let us wait until we hear the findings of any inquiry that may take place, because there is sure to be one.

[KerrAvon]

We have reached the point where we should pull out of this sh!t h0le and let them kill each other. We can't help them any more, no one can.

[emmie]

the pity of it we should never have gone there in the first place, the people of Afghanistan won't thank us, and we have simply lost all these young people, for what exactly..

[Brenden]

Sweet .......all em.

[Gromit]

AOG

// In time honoured fashion, this poster has only posted this in a vain attempt to once again criticise the British and their troops. //

I have not criticised anyone. It is in your imagination.

// Note also that he has gone to the trouble of naming Corporal Channing Day, but it wasn't until the OP's fourth paragraph that he took the trouble to mention the other young life that was lost, that being Cpl David O’Connor, of the Royal Marines. //

That is because it is the story as reported in the Daily telegraph, hence the // at the front and end. They are not my words. I am sure the DT meant no sleight in mentioning Cpl O' Connor in the four paragraph.

[Gromit]

// suggest your headline should say bad day for the families of those killed in the service of their country. //

I am sure you were also thinking of the Afghan Policeman's family when you wrote that. I am happy with my headline as it is.

[emmie]

no i wasn't as it happens, i am thinking of the useless deaths of all our service personnel in that Godforsaken place.

[Zeuhl]

<In time honoured fashion, this poster has only posted this in a vain attempt to once again criticise the British and their troops.>

aog

perhaps you could point out precisely which part of the OP is 'criticising the British and their troops' and how exactly it is critical of them
and when did you qualify as a mindreader?

I only ask for this clarification to prevent any suspicions people might have that your post was mischievous or a deliberate lie

Or was it, as the OP suggests, simply 'in your imagination'?

[tonyav]

Every day is a bad day in Afghanistan, while our troops are there imo.

[emmie]

totally agree ^^^^

[EcclesCake]

I do find threads like this quite tedious.

1. As personnel in theatre have been advised to not speculate on what occurred I don't think speculating on news reports is going to serve much purpose.

2. Terms like God forsaken hell-hole are inappropriate, it is neither. It is a remarkable country full of hope.

3. Constant carping that our troops shouldn't be there and they are fighting a losing battle does nothing for their morale. They have been sent to do a job and want to do their best and are trying to achieve that, irrespective of the politics of the war.

[tonyav]

Sorry Eccles but where is the hope, While the Taliban are there I see it as there is no hope.

[EcclesCake]

Having spent time there and having family there I have a very different perspective to those who are fed by the media.

[tonyav]

Okey dokey then Eccles.