Operation Enduring Conflict

[Gromit]

The Russians managed nine years in Afghanistan, do you think we will beat that.

[Gromit]

Meant to include this link

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jse ssionid=RTQRTJMZK1THDQFIQMGSFGGAVCBQWIV0?xml=/ news/2006/11/29/wafghan29.xml

[phaloides]

As none of our political leaders are out there with a rifle we will be out there until we get our butts kicked out.

[youngmafbog]

Who knows, but what is the alternative.
As we are currently fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq that has attracted alot of fanatic types as a focla point. Leave those coutries and the fanatics will not go away just start more suicide bombings elsewhere in the world.
A selfish view I appreciate, but I know where I'd rather have them.

[bigmalc]

It's hard to believe what's happened to the world over the past six years.

The fact that we (the west) have learned nothing from the horrors of the Russia-Afghanistan conflict bears testimony that we are ignorant, arrogant fools who are doomed to fail. Like bullies in a schoolyard, we automatically assume that superior firepower and larger armies always win the day.

Don't forget that Russia - at that time - was a Superpower, with few other military commitments. Britain and America are fighting two wars with failing armies and economies that will follow suit if the present situation continues.

I didn't and don't support either of the wars that our government have decided are a necessity (for war can and must only be that). Anyone with just the smallest amount of common sense knew then and knows now that to fight such a war of ideology is folly. You cannot kill an idea or a spirit and the harder you try to force someone into doing something that they don't want to do, the harder they try to repel you.

No-one in History has ever ultimately won such a war and acheived peace. The only purpose such conflicts serve is to exacerbate hatred and resentment.

So, will we be in Afghanistan for more than nine years? Well, I hope not, but I think we probably will be. And I think that when we do leave, we will be facing some pretty awkward questions about our own future and morality.

[kwicky]

These sort of wars are never won. The enemy just melt into the innocent population so the only way to kill them is with colateral damage. The Israelis tried this in Beirut with their cluster bombs and killed many women and children in the process. In iraq the enemy do not wear uniforms so the innocent suffer. What is the answer in Afganistan...fight them at the micro level..arm the respectable tribes who will know who the real enemies are, light the touch paper and quit.

[Zen]

9 years !! I doubt it
soon the French will be calling us,
Roast Beef eating surrender monkeys !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[NH]

OK- so Blair will never back down and a breakthrough soon looks unlikely. If we do withdraw in the short term, it's be once the new government, elected in May 2009, maybe, will have settled in- say 18 months, giving a withdrawal (drum roll please) of late 2009-early 2010. A little over nine years.

Hell Yes.

[Gromit]

The first thing the Americans did after the invasion of Afghanistan was to completely rebuild the old Soviet airfileds. They were planning a long stay from the offset. This year they have built nine new bases - doesn't sound like they are about to get out of there soon. The ongoing war suits the Americans. They and us will be there longer than nine years, but that was always the plan.

[kwicky]

Forget airfields,certain parts of the Middle East will be no-go areas for at least the next 50 years..what have we achieved?

[Gromit]

What for? - quadzillions of barrels of oil.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/26 08713.stm

The nine bases that have been built this year, closely follow the route of the proposed Trans-Afghanistan pipeline.