Afghanistan - Why ?

[rabiddog]

Can anyone tell me why we're in Afghanistan ? I can understand (just) the reasoning behind Korea, Vietnam, The Falklands etc. I understand a certain dominant world power wanted Iraq's oil reserves but why Afghanistan ?

Is it because BAT wants to diversify into opium 'flavoured' ciggies to stave off the effects of the global recession ?

[HairyArsedBloke]

They had a anti-social house guest.

[rabiddog]

They had a anti-social house guest.

Yeah right, they had WMD in Iraq too didn't they ? Couldn't find them either

[Turion]

The terrorists (Taliban) are part of and sponsers of Al Kaida who are hell bent on destroying our western way of life and installing an Islamic caliphate in it's place. They need terrictory to indoctrinate and train their terrorist followers in explosives, suicide bombing and other unsavory duties (aka preparation for 911)

If the west can install a strong elected government in Afganistan it is hoped that they will be able to deal with the problem themselves eventually as most of the people there despise the rag headed terrorists.

[snaw]

Al Queda.

Need any more reasons - actual terrorists, actual terrorist haven, actual extremist rogue state, actually a just war (Though fck knows how we get out).

No invisible WMD there, just ticking human bombs ready to detonate ...

[swamp]

Bunch of Ruperts thought it was jolly time they left Sandhurst and engaged with the enemy.

Seven years later and Rupert has been found out.

[rabiddog]

Take all that on board, fine. What were the Russians trying to achieve ?

Strong government is a good idea but who replaces the opium fields (that provide the majority of Al Q's funding) with some kind of crop that will support indigenous population ?

What are Pakistan doing in all this ? Don't they have training camps in the hills too ?

But put again, my question is why is, relatively speaking, such a small UK/NATO force there ? After all the USA have tens of thousands of troops sprinkled around the place - they even shipped in loads more for this week's operation.

Also, it seems a classic case of history repeating itself by proving 'formal' military forces just can't compete with guerilla style forces in dodgy terrain.

Just seems to me I hear over and over that some poor sod's been blown up by an IED or shot or had a nasty 'friendly fire' experience.

Is military force the right answer to a problem that's been going on since before some guy got nailed to a cross in an unshaded sunny spot.

I don't know the answer, but I'm pretty sure this isn't it.

Ah Well, back to me Monopoloy Board and slippers.

[PM-Junkie]

Can anyone tell me why we're in Afghanistan ? I can understand (just) the reasoning behind Korea, Vietnam, The Falklands etc. I understand a certain dominant world power wanted Iraq's oil reserves but why Afghanistan ?

Is it because BAT wants to diversify into opium 'flavoured' ciggies to stave off the effects of the global recession ?

We are there because the US "defence" industry told george, and he told tony.

[swamp]

Take all that on board, fine. What were the Russians trying to achieve ?

Strong government is a good idea but who replaces the opium fields (that provide the majority of Al Q's funding) with some kind of crop that will support indigenous population ?

What are Pakistan doing in all this ? Don't they have training camps in the hills too ?

But put again, my question is why is, relatively speaking, such a small UK/NATO force there ? After all the USA have tens of thousands of troops sprinkled around the place - they even shipped in loads more for this week's operation.

Also, it seems a classic case of history repeating itself by proving 'formal' military forces just can't compete with guerilla style forces in dodgy terrain.

Just seems to me I hear over and over that some poor sod's been blown up by an IED or shot or had a nasty 'friendly fire' experience.

Is military force the right answer to a problem that's been going on since before some guy got nailed to a cross in an unshaded sunny spot.

I don't know the answer, but I'm pretty sure this isn't it.

Ah Well, back to me Monopoloy Board and slippers.

In seriousness, it seems that Afghanistan was lost in those first few months when the US did not supply enough troops to trap Osama Bin Laden in the Tora Borra mountains. He got away.

Had they got him then Afghanistan may be on a very different course, but Rumsfeld believed in his "Shock and Awe" policy of putting as little troops on the ground as possible, and it failed.

Picture yourself as a young man right now in Afghanistan. The US and British have blown up civilians in a neighbouring village, you have nothing, and the local Taliban are actually having a pop at them....

Sooner we get out the better, IMHO.

[rabiddog]

Yep, I'd agree with that.

(But having just looked at a couple of the other threads I wonder if there's any kind of speed limit there ? And is Ramsay gonna open a restaurant in Camp Bastion)

So losing it - roll on tomorrow, I can fly back home - apparently it's been raining there - Yippeeeee