Posted on 09/22/2008 11:12:28 AM PDT by Dawnsblood
Living with British troops of 2 Para at FOB Gibraltar and watching them fight, I witnessed one of the great paradoxes of Afghanistan. The troops are fighting hard and killing the enemy. They are professional and extremely competent. Their morale is high. They are doing a great job. And we are losing the war.
Their troubles with a local sniper demonstrate some of the complexities and frustrations of this war, which the British public don’t even call a “war.” The British soldiers know this is a real war, but the British at home characterize it as a “conflict.” Meanwhile, Americans at home seem to mostly have forgotten about Afghanistan, though luckily they are starting to wake up. Yet it’s obvious here on the ground that this situation could deteriorate into something far worse than we ever saw in Iraq.
On 02 September, the enemy sniper was at it again, and so five British snipers (in the photo above, one sniper was behind me) were searching for probable firing positions. At one point, there was credible information that the Taliban told the sniper that they could provide him an American scope. The sniper said he was happy with his iron sights. He was a terrible shot, but sooner or later he might get lucky.
The Brits know exactly who the sniper is. About half a dozen fruit trees occluded fields of fire, so the soldiers cut them down. The Brits offered to pay for the trees, but were bound by regulations on how much they could pay. Major Adam Dawson told me the amount was something like $20 per tree, which of course is tantamount to zero.
(Excerpt) Read more at michaelyon-online.com ...
Seems like the Brits also took a bit of an indifferent attitude to a little “dust up” they had in one of their ‘Colonies’ a couple of hundred years ago. Look what that got them.
Try to understand. The War in Afghanistan is an economy-of-force war. Neither the British nor Americans have had a ‘surge’ in Afghanistan, nor will they before the US elections are over. No-one would commit to a heavier war in Afghanistan while there is a 50% chance of a Muslim becoming US President.
Iraq’s stability and Russia’s pressure on the Ukraine are other factors: suffice to say a combined Coalition surge in Afghanistan cannot be ‘signed-off’ until November 5th.
Thanks for posting this Dawnsblood. Michael Yon gives more valid reporting on the true activities of our troops and their partners than all the rest of the Maggot Media combined -- and he does it on a shoe-string budget, and is currently running around in Afghanistan unembedded. Like Nate Helms at Defend Our Marines -- Michael Yon pulls no punches, and gives you warts and all in reporting from both the lowest Grunt's foxhole all the way up to Gen. Petraeus' staff.
Someone else I've found that deals in reality is Pat Dollard -- and you can find a recording of the interview/discussion show he held last weekend with Michael Yon. Some rough language, but heartfelt reality for over two hours, and covering everything from Iraq to Afghanistan, and the future plans for both.
exceptional insight into a war that cannot be lost.
it appears that the paras have been smashing things up down there, and with the Commando’s up next, plenty more still to come.
...Russia’s pressure on the Ukraine...
Another emerging threat. Large pockets of ethnic Russians remain inside the borders of other nations, like Ukraine and Estonia. They are hoping that Moscow will act again to ensure ‘the safety of its citizens’.
...The War in Afghanistan is an economy-of-force war...
Agreed. We need to make progress in the next couple of years to stop allies leaving when mandates expire. But as you said, with elections near a mass surge in troops is hardly likely to win over voters.
I think I overheard something on the news about the MoD sending more helicopters to Afghanistan, to increase our mobility and avoid roadside bombs. Did I make this up?
Thanks for the ping, brit. Yon does a fantastic job with his reporting and I always looks forward to reading him.
Links to Parts I and II are at the end of the report.
Thanks. Off today so I will have some time to view the series.
Thanks for the ping. I didn’t know about Michael Yon. Now I know another good source for REAL information.
Most welcome, firefnx : )
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