6th British soldier dies in Afghanistan.
- Thread starter Blackleaf
- Start date
Canada has to go to Afghanistan as it is part of NATO.
It Canadian never want their soldiers and their militaries to do the jobs that they are supposed to do, then leave NATO.
No-one in Britain seems to be complaining about British troops being there. We accept they are there as part of NATO and they have a job to do, the job that they joined the army to do.
It Canadian never want their soldiers and their militaries to do the jobs that they are supposed to do, then leave NATO.
No-one in Britain seems to be complaining about British troops being there. We accept they are there as part of NATO and they have a job to do, the job that they joined the army to do.
The Times July 07, 2006
Eight British soldiers battle with 1,200 Taleban at 'Camp Incoming'
By Tim Albone
Our correspondent joins the training squad who are under fire daily at their outpost
THE view from the tiny British outpost above the town of Tangye in northern Helmand province was picture perfect.
A river snaked its way through a gorge, the sun shimmered off the water and beyond the town of mud-brick houses lay the blue waters of the Kajaki reservoir.
But the illusion of calm was shattered by gunfire at 9.00am yesterday. “It’s a bit early for playtime,” quipped Sergeant-Major Karl Brennan, 35, a barrel-chested Yorkshireman, as he and his seven collegues rushed to the perimeter wall.
Through their gunsights they could see Taleban fighters attacking the last town in the district still loyal to the Kabul Goverment — a town whose nearby hydro-electric dam provides most of southern Afghanistan’s power.
One group of Taleban fighters was battling pro-government militiamen on the edge of Tangye. A second group, hidden behind a rocky outcrop, was using mortars and machineguns to attack an Afghan police compound on a hill overlooking our own position. The police were retaliating with an old Russian anti-tank gun.
“If we lose that hill we are in big trouble,” said Captain Chris Woodward, 28. “They would have a direct view on our camp.”
The eight British soldiers — and 30 paratroopers camped near by — were soon drawn into the fight, opening up with mortars, Javelins and rounds from a 7.62 machinegun.
The battle raged for three hours. Bullets flew. A Taleban fighter was knocked over by a mortar blast and could be seen staggering away. A mud wall was knocked down, sending dirt billowing skywards.
The fighting ended only when the British summoned air power and the Taleban melted away, leaving behind at least two dead fighters.
Shortly after dark last night they attacked again — this time targeting our outpost directly with mortars and machinegun fire. The Afghan police guarding the outer perimeter vanished and the British fired 400 rounds to drive the enemy away.
For the eight British soldiers assigned to Tangye to train a contingent of 17 Afghan soldiers such attacks are now commonplace.
They moved in five weeks ago, shortly after two French soldiers were killed a few hundred yards from the outpost. Since then there have been only seven days on which the tiny Operational, Mentoring and Liaison Team has not seen action. As many as 1,200 Taleban fighters are thought to be hiding in the surrounding hills.
“We call it ‘Camp Incoming’ because we get so many mortars and rounds coming in,” said Sergeant-Major Brennan with a chuckle.
“It is my third tour in Afghanistan and I have never seen anything like this,” said Sergeant Mooney. “It’s a mega-hot spot,” added Lance Corporal Andy Reid, 26, a medic.
At first the outpost — an old compound for the dam workers — was scarcely protected at all. The soldiers had to fill the broken walls with oil barrels, rocks and even an old oven. They had only 90 Afghan police, being trained by two former US Special Forces officers, and a local militia of about 100 to call on for protection.
Finally, in response to the team’s urgent appeals, this week the British military sent 13 engineers from Camp Bastion, the main British base in Helmand. They are fortifying the outpost with sangars, fences and barbed wire.
Four days ago the 30 paratroopers arrived to secure the hill around the outpost, which is at least 30km (18 miles) from the nearest British base in Sangin along roads too dangerous to use. It now relies entirely on helicopters for its supplies, and yesterday it ran out of water.
Members of the team were shocked at their lack of protection during their first month.
Though reluctant to complain publicly, one soldier said: “Because we are an Afghan op and not a Para one people don’t care as much. It doesn’t seem to take as much of a priority.”
Lance Sergeant Adam “Swifty” Swift, 27, read from a diary entry he made on May 5, the day he arrived: “We got a late-night order to defend the compound. We had 8 men and 17 ANA [Afghan soldiers]. It sounded dodgy. We had no Para support and limited assets, with hardly any of the equipment we should have deployed with.”
The team was supposed to be on a training mission in a peaceful part of Afghanistan, not a combat zone.
It is doing its best to win hearts and minds. During one recent battle Corporal Reid amazed the Afghans by spending two and a half hours saving a Taleban recruiter who had been shot three times. Sgt Swift has, like many of his colleagues, grown a beard to try and win the trust of the Afghan soldiers he is mentoring.
But a beard, alas, provides no protection against the bullets of Taleban fighters.
timesonline.co.uk
Eight British soldiers battle with 1,200 Taleban at 'Camp Incoming'
By Tim Albone
Our correspondent joins the training squad who are under fire daily at their outpost
THE view from the tiny British outpost above the town of Tangye in northern Helmand province was picture perfect.
A river snaked its way through a gorge, the sun shimmered off the water and beyond the town of mud-brick houses lay the blue waters of the Kajaki reservoir.
But the illusion of calm was shattered by gunfire at 9.00am yesterday. “It’s a bit early for playtime,” quipped Sergeant-Major Karl Brennan, 35, a barrel-chested Yorkshireman, as he and his seven collegues rushed to the perimeter wall.
Through their gunsights they could see Taleban fighters attacking the last town in the district still loyal to the Kabul Goverment — a town whose nearby hydro-electric dam provides most of southern Afghanistan’s power.
One group of Taleban fighters was battling pro-government militiamen on the edge of Tangye. A second group, hidden behind a rocky outcrop, was using mortars and machineguns to attack an Afghan police compound on a hill overlooking our own position. The police were retaliating with an old Russian anti-tank gun.
“If we lose that hill we are in big trouble,” said Captain Chris Woodward, 28. “They would have a direct view on our camp.”
The eight British soldiers — and 30 paratroopers camped near by — were soon drawn into the fight, opening up with mortars, Javelins and rounds from a 7.62 machinegun.
The battle raged for three hours. Bullets flew. A Taleban fighter was knocked over by a mortar blast and could be seen staggering away. A mud wall was knocked down, sending dirt billowing skywards.
The fighting ended only when the British summoned air power and the Taleban melted away, leaving behind at least two dead fighters.
Shortly after dark last night they attacked again — this time targeting our outpost directly with mortars and machinegun fire. The Afghan police guarding the outer perimeter vanished and the British fired 400 rounds to drive the enemy away.
For the eight British soldiers assigned to Tangye to train a contingent of 17 Afghan soldiers such attacks are now commonplace.
They moved in five weeks ago, shortly after two French soldiers were killed a few hundred yards from the outpost. Since then there have been only seven days on which the tiny Operational, Mentoring and Liaison Team has not seen action. As many as 1,200 Taleban fighters are thought to be hiding in the surrounding hills.
“We call it ‘Camp Incoming’ because we get so many mortars and rounds coming in,” said Sergeant-Major Brennan with a chuckle.
“It is my third tour in Afghanistan and I have never seen anything like this,” said Sergeant Mooney. “It’s a mega-hot spot,” added Lance Corporal Andy Reid, 26, a medic.
At first the outpost — an old compound for the dam workers — was scarcely protected at all. The soldiers had to fill the broken walls with oil barrels, rocks and even an old oven. They had only 90 Afghan police, being trained by two former US Special Forces officers, and a local militia of about 100 to call on for protection.
Finally, in response to the team’s urgent appeals, this week the British military sent 13 engineers from Camp Bastion, the main British base in Helmand. They are fortifying the outpost with sangars, fences and barbed wire.
Four days ago the 30 paratroopers arrived to secure the hill around the outpost, which is at least 30km (18 miles) from the nearest British base in Sangin along roads too dangerous to use. It now relies entirely on helicopters for its supplies, and yesterday it ran out of water.
Members of the team were shocked at their lack of protection during their first month.
Though reluctant to complain publicly, one soldier said: “Because we are an Afghan op and not a Para one people don’t care as much. It doesn’t seem to take as much of a priority.”
Lance Sergeant Adam “Swifty” Swift, 27, read from a diary entry he made on May 5, the day he arrived: “We got a late-night order to defend the compound. We had 8 men and 17 ANA [Afghan soldiers]. It sounded dodgy. We had no Para support and limited assets, with hardly any of the equipment we should have deployed with.”
The team was supposed to be on a training mission in a peaceful part of Afghanistan, not a combat zone.
It is doing its best to win hearts and minds. During one recent battle Corporal Reid amazed the Afghans by spending two and a half hours saving a Taleban recruiter who had been shot three times. Sgt Swift has, like many of his colleagues, grown a beard to try and win the trust of the Afghan soldiers he is mentoring.
But a beard, alas, provides no protection against the bullets of Taleban fighters.
timesonline.co.uk
Re: RE: 6th British soldier dies in Afghanistan.
There are always groups of people who will complain about wars their country is engaged in. I doubt Britain is immune from that.
Blackleaf said:
There are always groups of people who will complain about wars their country is engaged in. I doubt Britain is immune from that.
Profile: Hamid Karzai
Positions that Hamid Karzai has held:
Hamid Karzai actively participated in the following events:
November 2001-January 2002: Western Leaders Promise Aid to Afghanistan
In a series of multinational conferences held to discuss the future of Afghanistan, Western leaders make great pledges and promises to Afghanistan. For instance British Prime Minster Tony Blair says, “We will not walk away from Afghanistan, as the outside world has done so many times before.” [Observer, 5/25/2003] President Bush says, “The Afghan people will know the generosity of America and its allies.” [Guardian, 9/20/2003] US Secretary of State Colin Powell says, “[We] have an enormous obligation—not only the United States, but the whole international community—an enormous obligation to not leave the Afghan people in the lurch, to not walk away as has been done in the past. ... We cannot wait; we must act as fast as we can. We must act as soon as possible.” [New York Times, 11/20/2001] In a January 2002 donor conference, countries around the world pledge $4.5 billion to aid Afghanistan. [Christian Science Monitor, 11/19/2002] However, new Afghan leader Hamid Karzai says, “We believe Afghanistan needs $15-20bn to reach the stage we were in 1979.” Most outside observers will agree that the amount pledged is insufficient. [Observer, 5/25/2003] Yet even that amount will fall far short of the aid actually given to Afghanistan in subsequent years (see Spring 2003).
People and organizations involved: Afghanistan, Colin Powell, Tony Blair, Hamid Karzai
November 25, 2001: US Troops Arrive in Kandahar Amid Talk of a Secret Deal
US troops land near the Taliban stronghold of Kandahar, Afghanistan. [Associated Press, 8/19/2002] Apparently, as the noose tightens around Kandahar, Hamid Karzai, the new leader of Afghanistan, makes a deal with the Taliban. He gives them a general amnesty in return for surrender of the city. Taliban’s leader Mullah Omar is allowed to escape “with dignity” as part of the deal. However, the US says it will not abide by the deal and Karzai then says he will not let Omar go free after all. Taliban forces begin surrendering on December 7. [Sydney Morning Herald, 12/8/2001] Omar escapes.
People and organizations involved: Mullah Omar, Hamid Karzai, Unocal, Taliban
December 22, 2001: Karzai Assumes Power in Afghanistan
Hamid Karzai. [Source: United States Agency for International Development]Hamid Karzai.
Afghan Prime Minister Hamid Karzai and his transitional government assume power in Afghanistan. It was reported a few weeks before that he had been a paid consultant for Unocal at one time (Karzai and Unocal both deny this), as well as Deputy Foreign Minister for the Taliban. [Le Monde (Paris), 12/13/2001; CNN, 12/22/2001]
People and organizations involved: Unocal, Hamid Karzai, Taliban
January 1, 2002: Ex-Unocal Employee Becomes US Special Envoy and ’Real President’ of Afghanistan
Zalmay Khalilzad, already a Special Assistant to the President and a prominent neoconversative (see May 23, 2001), is appointed by Bush as a special envoy to Afghanistan. [BBC, 1/1/2002] In his former role as Unocal adviser, Khalilzad participated in negotiations with the Taliban to build a pipeline through Afghanistan. He also wrote op-eds in the Washington Post in 1997 (see October 7, 1996) supporting the Taliban regime, back when Unocal was hoping to work with the Taliban. [Independent, 1/10/2002] However, Zhalilzad becomes so powerful that in 2005 the BBC will note he is sometimes dubbed “the viceroy, or the real president of Afghanistan.” He is accused of “frequently overshadowing President Hamid Karzai. ... No major decisions by the Afghan government [are] made without his involvement.” [BBC, 4/6/2005] Similarly, a London Times article on him will be titled “US Envoy Accused of Being the Power Pulling Karzai’s Strings.” [London Times, 10/5/2004] A New York Times article on him will be titled “In Afghanistan, US Envoy Sits In Seat of Power.” [New York Times, 4/17/2004] He will keep this position until April 2005, when it is announced that Khalilzad will become US Ambassador to Iraq.
People and organizations involved: Taliban, Unocal, Zalmay M. Khalilzad, Hamid Karzai
February 9, 2002: Pakistani and Afghan Leaders Revive Afghanistan Pipeline Idea
Pakistani President Musharraf and Afghan leader Hamid Karzai announce their agreement to “cooperate in all spheres of activity” including the proposed Central Asian pipeline, which they call “in the interest of both countries.” [Irish Times, 2/9/2002; Gulf News, 9/2/2002]
People and organizations involved: Hamid Karzai, Pervez Musharraf
April 1, 2002: Afghan Opium Crackdown Fails
An Afghani farmer stands in his opium poppy fields. [Source: Shaul Schwarz/ Corbis]An Afghani farmer stands in his opium poppy fields.
“American officials have quietly abandoned their hopes to reduce Afghanistan’s opium production substantially this year and are now bracing for a harvest large enough to inundate the world’s heroin and opium markets with cheap drugs.” They want to see the new Afghan government make at least a token effort to destroy some opium, but it appears that the new government is not doing even that. Afghan leader Hamid Karzai had announced a total ban on opium cultivation, processing, and trafficking, but it appears to be a total sham. The new harvest is so large that it could be “enough opium to stockpile for two or two and a half more years.” [New York Times, 4/1/2002] Starting this month, Karzai’s government offers farmers $500 for every acre of poppies they destroy, but farmers can earn as much as $6,400 per acre for the crop. The program is eventually cancelled when it runs out of money to pay farmers. [Associated Press, 3/27/2003]
People and organizations involved: Hamid Karzai, Bush administration
May 30, 2002: Afghan, Turkmen, and Pakistani Leaders Sign Pipeline Deal
Afghanistan’s interim leader, Hamid Karzai, Turkmenistan’s President Niyazov, and Pakistani President Musharraf meet in Islamabad and sign a memorandum of understanding on the trans-Afghanistan gas pipeline project. [Alexander's Gas & Oil Connections, 6/8/2002; Dawn (Karachi), 5/31/2002] Afghan leader Hamid Karzai (who formerly worked for Unocal) calls Unocal the “lead company” in building the pipeline. [BBC, 5/13/2002] The Los Angeles Times comments, “To some here, it looked like the fix was in for Unocal when President Bush named a former Unocal consultant, Zalmay Khalilzad, as his special envoy to Afghanistan late last year .” [Los Angeles Times, 5/30/2002] Unocal claims that it has no interest in any Afghanistan pipeline after 9/11. However, Afghan officials say that Unocal will be the lead company in funding the pipeline. The Afghan deputy minister of mines comments on Unocal’s claim of disinterest: “Business has its secrets and mysteries. Maybe ... they don’t want it to be disclosed in the media.” [Toronto Star, 3/2/2003]
People and organizations involved: Zalmay M. Khalilzad, Pervez Musharraf, George W. Bush, Saparmurat Niyazov, Unocal, Hamid Karzai
December 2004
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld visits Kabul, Afghanistan. During his visit Afghan President Hamid Karzai consents to Washington’s decision to establish nine more permanent military bases in the country. The bases, to be manned by 2,200 troops, will be constructed in Helmand, Herat, Nimrouz, Balkh, Khost and Paktia. In the provinces of Khost and Paktia, there will be two bases. [News Insight, 3/5/2005] Observers note that Afghan President Hamid Karzai had little choice in the matter given that his government’s continuing existence is dependent upon the private security forces provided by the US. [Asia Times, 3/30/2005]
People and organizations involved: Donald Rumsfeld, Hamid Karzai
May 24, 2005: US to Have Long-Term Military Presence in Afghanistan
President Bush and Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai sign a “strategic partnership” allowing the US to have a long-term military presence in Afghanistan. The US is allowed to have access to existing military bases and potentially new bases as well. [Agence France-Presse, 5/24/2005] Both the US and Afghanistan government try to avoid talk of permanent US military bases in Afghanistan, because the idea is highly unpopular with the Afghan population. There are about 18,000 foreign troops in the country, half of them American. There also is a NATO-led force of 8,500 peacekeepers in the capital of Kabul. [Reuters, 4/26/2005] Asia Times reports that the US is constructing new military bases in the country, and in fact began work in February 2005. The bases “can be used in due time as a springboard to assert a presence far beyond Afghanistan.” The largest US air base is Afghanistan is located only about 50 miles from the border with Iran, “a location that makes it controversial.” [Asia Times, 3/30/2005]
People and organizations involved: George W. Bush, Hamid Karzai
Positions that Hamid Karzai has held:
Hamid Karzai actively participated in the following events:
November 2001-January 2002: Western Leaders Promise Aid to Afghanistan
In a series of multinational conferences held to discuss the future of Afghanistan, Western leaders make great pledges and promises to Afghanistan. For instance British Prime Minster Tony Blair says, “We will not walk away from Afghanistan, as the outside world has done so many times before.” [Observer, 5/25/2003] President Bush says, “The Afghan people will know the generosity of America and its allies.” [Guardian, 9/20/2003] US Secretary of State Colin Powell says, “[We] have an enormous obligation—not only the United States, but the whole international community—an enormous obligation to not leave the Afghan people in the lurch, to not walk away as has been done in the past. ... We cannot wait; we must act as fast as we can. We must act as soon as possible.” [New York Times, 11/20/2001] In a January 2002 donor conference, countries around the world pledge $4.5 billion to aid Afghanistan. [Christian Science Monitor, 11/19/2002] However, new Afghan leader Hamid Karzai says, “We believe Afghanistan needs $15-20bn to reach the stage we were in 1979.” Most outside observers will agree that the amount pledged is insufficient. [Observer, 5/25/2003] Yet even that amount will fall far short of the aid actually given to Afghanistan in subsequent years (see Spring 2003).
People and organizations involved: Afghanistan, Colin Powell, Tony Blair, Hamid Karzai
November 25, 2001: US Troops Arrive in Kandahar Amid Talk of a Secret Deal
US troops land near the Taliban stronghold of Kandahar, Afghanistan. [Associated Press, 8/19/2002] Apparently, as the noose tightens around Kandahar, Hamid Karzai, the new leader of Afghanistan, makes a deal with the Taliban. He gives them a general amnesty in return for surrender of the city. Taliban’s leader Mullah Omar is allowed to escape “with dignity” as part of the deal. However, the US says it will not abide by the deal and Karzai then says he will not let Omar go free after all. Taliban forces begin surrendering on December 7. [Sydney Morning Herald, 12/8/2001] Omar escapes.
People and organizations involved: Mullah Omar, Hamid Karzai, Unocal, Taliban
December 22, 2001: Karzai Assumes Power in Afghanistan
Hamid Karzai. [Source: United States Agency for International Development]Hamid Karzai.
Afghan Prime Minister Hamid Karzai and his transitional government assume power in Afghanistan. It was reported a few weeks before that he had been a paid consultant for Unocal at one time (Karzai and Unocal both deny this), as well as Deputy Foreign Minister for the Taliban. [Le Monde (Paris), 12/13/2001; CNN, 12/22/2001]
People and organizations involved: Unocal, Hamid Karzai, Taliban
January 1, 2002: Ex-Unocal Employee Becomes US Special Envoy and ’Real President’ of Afghanistan
Zalmay Khalilzad, already a Special Assistant to the President and a prominent neoconversative (see May 23, 2001), is appointed by Bush as a special envoy to Afghanistan. [BBC, 1/1/2002] In his former role as Unocal adviser, Khalilzad participated in negotiations with the Taliban to build a pipeline through Afghanistan. He also wrote op-eds in the Washington Post in 1997 (see October 7, 1996) supporting the Taliban regime, back when Unocal was hoping to work with the Taliban. [Independent, 1/10/2002] However, Zhalilzad becomes so powerful that in 2005 the BBC will note he is sometimes dubbed “the viceroy, or the real president of Afghanistan.” He is accused of “frequently overshadowing President Hamid Karzai. ... No major decisions by the Afghan government [are] made without his involvement.” [BBC, 4/6/2005] Similarly, a London Times article on him will be titled “US Envoy Accused of Being the Power Pulling Karzai’s Strings.” [London Times, 10/5/2004] A New York Times article on him will be titled “In Afghanistan, US Envoy Sits In Seat of Power.” [New York Times, 4/17/2004] He will keep this position until April 2005, when it is announced that Khalilzad will become US Ambassador to Iraq.
People and organizations involved: Taliban, Unocal, Zalmay M. Khalilzad, Hamid Karzai
February 9, 2002: Pakistani and Afghan Leaders Revive Afghanistan Pipeline Idea
Pakistani President Musharraf and Afghan leader Hamid Karzai announce their agreement to “cooperate in all spheres of activity” including the proposed Central Asian pipeline, which they call “in the interest of both countries.” [Irish Times, 2/9/2002; Gulf News, 9/2/2002]
People and organizations involved: Hamid Karzai, Pervez Musharraf
April 1, 2002: Afghan Opium Crackdown Fails
An Afghani farmer stands in his opium poppy fields. [Source: Shaul Schwarz/ Corbis]An Afghani farmer stands in his opium poppy fields.
“American officials have quietly abandoned their hopes to reduce Afghanistan’s opium production substantially this year and are now bracing for a harvest large enough to inundate the world’s heroin and opium markets with cheap drugs.” They want to see the new Afghan government make at least a token effort to destroy some opium, but it appears that the new government is not doing even that. Afghan leader Hamid Karzai had announced a total ban on opium cultivation, processing, and trafficking, but it appears to be a total sham. The new harvest is so large that it could be “enough opium to stockpile for two or two and a half more years.” [New York Times, 4/1/2002] Starting this month, Karzai’s government offers farmers $500 for every acre of poppies they destroy, but farmers can earn as much as $6,400 per acre for the crop. The program is eventually cancelled when it runs out of money to pay farmers. [Associated Press, 3/27/2003]
People and organizations involved: Hamid Karzai, Bush administration
May 30, 2002: Afghan, Turkmen, and Pakistani Leaders Sign Pipeline Deal
Afghanistan’s interim leader, Hamid Karzai, Turkmenistan’s President Niyazov, and Pakistani President Musharraf meet in Islamabad and sign a memorandum of understanding on the trans-Afghanistan gas pipeline project. [Alexander's Gas & Oil Connections, 6/8/2002; Dawn (Karachi), 5/31/2002] Afghan leader Hamid Karzai (who formerly worked for Unocal) calls Unocal the “lead company” in building the pipeline. [BBC, 5/13/2002] The Los Angeles Times comments, “To some here, it looked like the fix was in for Unocal when President Bush named a former Unocal consultant, Zalmay Khalilzad, as his special envoy to Afghanistan late last year .” [Los Angeles Times, 5/30/2002] Unocal claims that it has no interest in any Afghanistan pipeline after 9/11. However, Afghan officials say that Unocal will be the lead company in funding the pipeline. The Afghan deputy minister of mines comments on Unocal’s claim of disinterest: “Business has its secrets and mysteries. Maybe ... they don’t want it to be disclosed in the media.” [Toronto Star, 3/2/2003]
People and organizations involved: Zalmay M. Khalilzad, Pervez Musharraf, George W. Bush, Saparmurat Niyazov, Unocal, Hamid Karzai
December 2004
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld visits Kabul, Afghanistan. During his visit Afghan President Hamid Karzai consents to Washington’s decision to establish nine more permanent military bases in the country. The bases, to be manned by 2,200 troops, will be constructed in Helmand, Herat, Nimrouz, Balkh, Khost and Paktia. In the provinces of Khost and Paktia, there will be two bases. [News Insight, 3/5/2005] Observers note that Afghan President Hamid Karzai had little choice in the matter given that his government’s continuing existence is dependent upon the private security forces provided by the US. [Asia Times, 3/30/2005]
People and organizations involved: Donald Rumsfeld, Hamid Karzai
May 24, 2005: US to Have Long-Term Military Presence in Afghanistan
President Bush and Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai sign a “strategic partnership” allowing the US to have a long-term military presence in Afghanistan. The US is allowed to have access to existing military bases and potentially new bases as well. [Agence France-Presse, 5/24/2005] Both the US and Afghanistan government try to avoid talk of permanent US military bases in Afghanistan, because the idea is highly unpopular with the Afghan population. There are about 18,000 foreign troops in the country, half of them American. There also is a NATO-led force of 8,500 peacekeepers in the capital of Kabul. [Reuters, 4/26/2005] Asia Times reports that the US is constructing new military bases in the country, and in fact began work in February 2005. The bases “can be used in due time as a springboard to assert a presence far beyond Afghanistan.” The largest US air base is Afghanistan is located only about 50 miles from the border with Iran, “a location that makes it controversial.” [Asia Times, 3/30/2005]
People and organizations involved: George W. Bush, Hamid Karzai
Re: RE: 6th British soldier dies in Afghanistan.
The Jihad threatens the entire free world, and then some. It's not a U.S. problem. We can fight them now, or we can fight them later.
notme01 said:
The Jihad threatens the entire free world, and then some. It's not a U.S. problem. We can fight them now, or we can fight them later.
Re: RE: 6th British soldier dies in Afghanistan.
That's not an answer, that's a deflection. The U.S. never asked us to go to Afghanistan at the onset of War. We went of our own accord. They only asked us to return after we pulled out (because of certain equipment and our military ability). That being said, they have asked us several times since the outbreak of War in Iraq to send troops, ships, and aircraft. So i'll reiterate, if they control us, why haven't we deployed troops to Iraq?
notme01 said:
That's not an answer, that's a deflection. The U.S. never asked us to go to Afghanistan at the onset of War. We went of our own accord. They only asked us to return after we pulled out (because of certain equipment and our military ability). That being said, they have asked us several times since the outbreak of War in Iraq to send troops, ships, and aircraft. So i'll reiterate, if they control us, why haven't we deployed troops to Iraq?
OK, well why was it Canada's place to follow the U.S. into Afghanistan? It was the U.S.'s problem. 9/11 took place in their country. Why did Canada go to Afghanistan
because we have no identety and we have to follow what the US wants
we are followers we cannot think for ourself
because we have no identety and we have to follow what the US wants
we are followers we cannot think for ourself
Re: RE: 6th British soldier dies in Afghanistan.
Read my earlier posts in this thread, you'll know why we went. As for having no identity and following what the U.S. want, i'll reiterate for the second time. If the U.S. controls us, or as you've flipflopped to now we have no identity and FOLLOW the U.S., why are we not in Iraq? Think you could get around to answering my question or just admitting you haven't a clue what you're talking about? Either one will suit me fine.
notme01 said:
Read my earlier posts in this thread, you'll know why we went. As for having no identity and following what the U.S. want, i'll reiterate for the second time. If the U.S. controls us, or as you've flipflopped to now we have no identity and FOLLOW the U.S., why are we not in Iraq? Think you could get around to answering my question or just admitting you haven't a clue what you're talking about? Either one will suit me fine.