The Afghan stabalisation war has stopped being in Britain's interests, if it ever was
It was right and proper that after the Taliban harboured Al Qaeda that the US and their friends and allies should inflict fast retribution and justice. Job done.
But what has followed has been much more ill defined and has rapidly been getting out of hand. The main argument seems to be to stay there to support our alliance with the US.
But as recent events in the Falklands and the Gulf of Mexico have shown the US has no intention of reciprocating.
General Sir David Richards says the Army must not be cut and money must be spent on the ongoing Afghan war - but I have another idea - cut the war, then you can cut the army. ( And also put those old RAF transport planes out of everyone's misery. )
Its time to face up to reality of being a island race, who can't really rely on the US and rebuild our blue water navy with air cover to go on top and pursue our national interests ( like defending the Falklands, their sheep & penguins and their large oil reserves ).
Its time to leave President Obama and his anti-British bigotry to it and bring our forces home. It will also save us a large amount of money and stop our young men and women being crippled for life in the numbers they are at present and allow us to pursue our national interests.
There I've said it. I've been hoping for a better rational for what's being going on in Afghanistan, but none has been forthcoming and I'm concluding that no one really knows what they're doing, except they can't admit to needing to come out after all the lost treasure and life.
4 comments:
Preaching to the choir, I agree with every word.
An excellent notion. When Britain has pursued a "Continental" strategy as opposed to a "Maritime" strategy we have inevitably faced defeat. Like America, we should now pursue our own interests, fully aware that a nation that was once our ally has chosen at best to be a neutral. The Fleet should be restored to strength and the Marines expanded. An evaluation of our relationship with the growing power of India and even China is long overdue.
It never really was in our interests. We have no interests over there.
Should never have goe in with troops on the ground. The "threat" to us at home could have been neutralised using air power, intelligence and special forces. Troops on the ground was insane from day one. Suits the military industrial complex though which doesn't give a shit about soldiers with no arms and legs.
Would have been a lot cheaper and a lot less lives lost.
Also the west could have started to buy the opium. Establishing profitable and meaningful relations. Starving the Taliban of funds and recruits, keeping heroin out of the worlds streets. And solving the world wide shortage in medical opiates. The money generated could be ploughed into the Afghan infrastructure.
Back home, where the real threat is the government should abolish sharia courts (all parallel law systems) and clamp down hard on the prohibition (A complete moratorium on religious buildings and a tax on existing ones would be good too).
Failing all that. Troops out now.
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