Why are we putting our troops at such an unnecessary risk?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/arti cle-1148484/British-soldiers-seize-heroin-wort h-50m-Afghanistan-airborne-assault.html

If they knew where the location was, why didn't they just send the Helicopters in and completely destroy the heroin along with all the Taliban?

This wouldn't have put our ground troops at risk and the Taliban would not have been allowed to escape.

We did not find the need to drop troops onto the V1 & V2 sites during WW2, we just bombed them from the air, so why do we put our ground troops at such a risk now?

[jake-the-peg]

Because there were no civillians at V1 and V2 sites

We are not Israelis!

[anotheoldgit]

I think you will find that there were many civilians and slave labour workers at these sites.

Just as they were civilians (innocent ones though in these cases) in London, Coventry, Hamburg and Dresden etc.

If they don't want to get hurt, then they should get rid of the Taliban or get the hell out.

[jake-the-peg]

Get the hell out of their homes and farms in case we accidently kill them whilst we are liberating them with carpet bombing?

I don't know why the army don't snap you up as a PR spokesman I really don't!

Oh sorry yes I do

[Gromit]

I'm not a great fan of the Taliban, but when they were in power in Afghanistan they eradicated (briefly) the poppy farms and drug trade. The Taliban strictly adhere to the Koran, and the Koran forbids intoxicants.

When they were ousted, and we were supposed to be running the show, the warlords and Barons started the illicit trade again making Afghanistan the worlds second largest drug exporter.

The Taliban need all the support they can get, so these days they turn a blind eye to the trade saying it is for consumption by corrupted westerners. The drug trade is still operated by Warlords and Barons. The Taliban profit from it my running a protection racket.

[sqad617]

AOG is perfectly correct.....reads the paperback "Raid on Peenemunde"

[jake-the-peg]

And were these not poppy fields but ammunition factories he might have a point.

But they aren't and he doesn't

[anotheoldgit]

forcing the surviving enemy to flee the area and abandon hugely valuable drug stockpiles and weapons

Using my method of an aerial strike.

There would not have been any surviving enemy left to flee.

There would not have been any drug stockpiles left.

There would not have been any stockpiles of weapons left.

Job done, another successful mission accomplished.

But no we would rather sacrifice our young troops lives, in this ridiculous and costly adventure into winning 'hearts & minds'.

[Gromit]

anotheoldgit

Not sure I dare ask you this question.

Would it then be preferable to blow up drug dealers in this country, along with their families, bystanders etc?