Afghanistan and Politics

I try not to make political posts on my timeline although I sometimes cannot resist. If I am honest, my views seem to go contra to most of my followers so it's probably cowardice that stops me commenting more, that, and the fact that politics is a personal thing with me and I joined twitter for amusement with some debate, not the other way around.

The murder of six soldiers yesterday is an abomination and just as tortuous is the droning on of politicians trying to explain why their deaths were necessary. There is nothing that can justify this ritual sacrifice of 404 young men.

In the late 1970's the Soviet government committed over 100,000 troops to suppress Afghanistan and it ended in humiliation and abject failure. At its height, the British empire failed as have every other invader or would be conqueror over the centuries.

On radio 5 this morning a correspondent told of his trip to a town a few months ago where he saw a brand new building that had been completely wrecked. When he enquired what it was he was told it was a new school for boys and girls. As soon as it was finished it was set on fire by men from the local village who objected to girls being educated. They were not Taliban, but ordinary Afghans.

The Afghan government is corrupt as is the system where local warlords still influence everything. The so called army in training will fold once the coalition troops withdraw as their families will be put in danger by the Taliban. The Taliban themselves are no longer risking men and rely on I.U.D's for murder. They know they have no chance in a traditional firefight. They have been given the green light to take over again at the end of 2014 so why risk men now?

Thanks to Blair we became embroiled in an unwinnable war. I am a firm supporter of the US but not their foreign policy. They continually get it wrong. Vietnam seemed to teach them nothing. Growing up I saw news items every day about death and destruction their until we were totally immune to it. This cannot happen in the Middle east and other hotspots.

You cannot change the habits and lifestyles of nations going back thousands of years with guns and money. Sometimes things are what they are and you have to accept it. I totally reject the stupid comments that our being in Afghanistan makes us safer over here. What ridiculous bollocks that is. The 7/7 bombers were inspired by our involvement in Muslim lands not supportive of them. We would be best served spending the vast amounts of money wasted keeping our own borders tight and our own population safe.

Is Iraq a democracy? Is it hell. Libya is on the verge of splitting into two which will then probably result in a war between the rich side and the poor side. I assume we will support, along with our US cousins, the oil rich side.

Start an orderly withdrawal now. It is never too late.