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[Nickbat]

Just compare these two:

"We've pushed the ordinary tribesmen to find common cause with the crazies..."

...The truth is, we have got to bring the people who lost in 2001, i.e. as much of the hardcore Taliban as possible, in to the political process."

Adam Holloway, Conservative MP, 12th June 2010

http://www.politicshome.com/uk/article/9956/afghan_strategy_is_fatally_flawed_says_adam_holloway.html

"A seven-year-old boy was murdered by the Taleban in an apparent act of retribution this week. Afghan officials said that the child was accused of spying for US and Nato forces and hanged from a tree in southern Afghanistan.

Mr Ahmadi said: “His grandfather is a tribal elder in the village and the village is under the control of the Taleban. His grandfather said some good things about the Government and he formed a small group of people to stand against the Taleban. That’s why the Taleban killed his grandson in revenge.”

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/afghanistan/article7147378.ece

We are either there to defeat the Taliban, or to let them take over the country. Whichever way, we don't need this political feint-hearted twaddle. It is causing uncertainty and misery both to the locals and our troops.

Play to win or get out, but please give no more "hearts and minds" clichés, please.

Well, that's my view.  

[Dishevelled Den]

I think history tells us that those in Afghanistan deal with invaders in a very robust way Nick.

I think it was ill judged to commit in this way as the tribal system evident there seems to be immune from homologising into a political structure that we can recognise or work with.

In my view there can be no half measures, if the will isn't there to engage in total war then it's time, money and manpower wasted - very much a case of either shit or get off the pot.

Thinking that that land can be subjugated and governed in a conventional way is delusional in my view.

[tunnie]

if only they had spent £100 million on schools and basic infrastructure after the billions US/UK paid to get the Ruskies out, the situation would have been totally different.

[bertiecbx550]

I saw a report on cnn earlier that huge mineral deposits have been rediscovered in the Afghan govt archives......I wonder how many more troops the yanks will send in now???