First up our Troops are magnificent.  The honour they bring to this nation is immense.  Brave, loyal…we owe them so much.  That is why we need to help the troops and question the Government.  Whatever one thinks of the merits of this campaign we should do all we can to help support our troops.  Hence this blog has been very critical on the strategy employed during the campaign and also the lack of equipment & support we provide our troops to get the job done.

Bob Ainsworth made it VERY clear that THEaim of Panther’s Claw, the military campaign which saw British forces lose 10 men, was to bring peace to Helmand’sprovince, so democracy could take place, as voters felt safe and secure when casting their ballot papers.  On the news today he is backpeddling from that stated aim but that is to be expected from a Government caught up in its own web of deceit.

So did we achieve the objective of bringing democracy to Helmand’s and people feeling safe to cast their vote?  Yes, if you say that 107 / 107 polling stations were open…the only problem with that was that, in a region with a potential electorate of 80,000 voters….only 150 voted.  That’s a turnout of 0.18% .  This figure has yet to be fully confirmed but it wont suddenly jump above say 5%.  That was a sign that the local population still felt threatened by the Taliban.  Hence in Helmand’s the Taliban secured their goal….make feel too scared to vote.

This again throws into question the strategy employed by the Government. 

We owe our forces so much more than this.  Bob Ainsworth consistently shows himself to be out of his depth in this role and is possibly one of the most uncaring Ministers I have seen explain away soldier’s deaths on television. 

God bless our troops for operating under such poor leadership.

Leaders have opinions…or so they should do.  Gordon Brown is showing a shocking disrespect to the victim’s families of Lockerbie and to the British people as a whole by remaining silent on HIS GOVERNMENT’S views on the release of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi, the only person convicted for the horrifying atrocity of bringing down a Pan Am jet over Lockerbie.

Gordon Brown stated he was ‘angry and repulsed’ at the hero’s welcome Megrahi got on his return home to Libya, including a joyous hug & greeting from Colonel Gaddafi.  Brown againre-iterated that  his government had ‘no role’ and it was a matter for the Scottish Government.  That is the only elemtn of the situation that Brown is happy to comment on—the release scenes.  That is not the crux of the reason we want to hear from Brown. 

Brown can hide behind excuses that this is a matter for the Scottish Government.  But given that Colonel Gaddafi’s son stated that Brown’s Government was implicated because of trade deals, (namely oil), and Gaddafi himself thanked Brown and his Government over the release, that surely merits comment from our PM as he is linked in.

Brown needs to answer the following questions to bring this matter to a close….

-  Does Brown agree and support the release of Megrahi on compassionate grounds?

-  Did Brown or any UK Official have any conversations with Gaddafi or his regime over the release in the past 6 months?

-  Are any trade deals pending between the UK Government and Libya?

-  What role did Peter Mandolsen play in proceedings?

If Gordon continues to duck these questions that really does imply he has something to hide!

Interestingly, it appears today, that to qualify for release on compassionate grounds in Scotland, an individual is required to have a life expectancy of less than 3 months.  Dr Richard Simpson, a Labour MSP, said medical reports indicated that there was ’significant doubt’ over whether Megrahi would die within 3 months!  let’s wait and see!  Something does not feel right with this!

The more we move further into this conflict, the more disgust I feel at Government inactivity and cover-ups.  They are beyond contempt and an embarrassment upon the great reputation of this country abroad.

The Telegraph reports today that the Head of the Army, General Sir Richard Dannatt, has called for more resources in Afghanistan.  This is finally after the Government have admitted key staff shortages are undermining operations to protect troops from roadside deaths.  Whilst Gordon remains on holiday, troops fighting on his direct command, take unnecessary risks and lose their lives.  Never has a leader had so much blood stains on his hands.

As deaths continue to mount up, we all have a duty to pressure this Government.  It is clear, we dont have enough protective equipment in the region, especially against roadside bombs, which have claimed the last 20 deaths.  We don’t have enough helicopters to ensure are troops are transported safely—or have the element of surprise on the enemy, by popping up in different positions.  The more that soldiers take risks because of shortages and the absence of a clear strategy, (as TBB blogged about 2 days back : http://bit.ly/QamCh), the casualty level will rise and success will be even further away.

What does Labour do?  It’s first, natural instinct is to attack and belittle the reputation of Sir Richard Dannatt.  Paul Waugh is reporting on his superb blog that an unnamed Labour Minister is making Freedom of Information requests requests targeting the “entertainment” costs of Gen Dannatt, who is now being seen by Labour as the Govt’s chief critic on poor resourcing of the troops.  The FoIs seek to find out just how much taxpayer cash has been spent wining and dining guests.  Obviously Labour wants to leak an expose on how much public money Sir Richard spent wining and dining guests at his official residence in Kensington Palace.  Take a look at Paul’s overview here.  http://tiny.cc/1kkJB

Thankfully Liam Fox has come to the defence of this dreadful attempt of smear.  Fox, an increasingly impressive front bench spokesperson, has stated: “Labour has now become the government of fear and smear. Whilst suppressing reports of their own incompetence, they attempt to undermine the reputation of one of our most distinguished generals.  At a time when our soldiers are dying in Afghanistan, ministers spend their time in puerile personality politics. General Dannatt is a man of honour and integrity who leads from the front. His Labour detractors are squalid and cowardly, undermining from the shadows.”

So Draper & McBride may have gone, their ethos and natural tendencies to smear and spread lies remains very much at the heart of Labour.  What a disgrace and shamble this Government are in their final dying days.

The ghosts of Christmas Past….their tactics live on at the heart of Labour

The House remains empty, but no time away for the British Forces

Whilst MP’s are away from Parliament, our brave soldiers toil away in the heat, fighting to provide us with the security we know and love back here in the UK.  These soldiers risk life and limb daily, hence we have to do all we can to show our support back home.  BUT by questioning the aims, objectives, troop levels, equipment employed in theatre, we are NOT undermining our troops, we are strengthening their resolve by knowing we are doing all we can for them.  Hence, with so much media questioning, politicians being critical and army chiefs both publicly and privately questioning the war, the time has come for an emergency recall of Parliament.  Questions need to be answered and David Cameron & Liam Fox need to get answers to the questions listed below.

A price worth paying?

Number of British troops lost in Afghanistan to date:  204 and counting…… (Number of British troops lost in Iraq war:  179)

Deaths by Age in Afghanistan: 26 (16-20), 73 (21-25), 54 (26-30), 22 (31-35), 12 (36-40), 3 (41-45), 4 (46-50).

Deaths per year: 2006 39 dead, 2007 42 Dead, 2008 51 Dead, 2009 67 Dead…so far

Wounded: 94 British soldiers wounded in July 2009 (double the figure of June).

Wounded year to date: 236 so far (last year’s total was 235)

So David Cameron, please demand a recall of Parliament.  Let the Conservatives take the lead.  David if you are worried of being accused of undermining the troops….you are not.  What is undermining the troops is the lack of truth being told and the fact that the soldiers families are telling troops on the frontline of the debates in our media on a daily basis.  David, you can stop this and clear the fog up by seeking the re-call of Parliament.  The electorate would thank you for it and respect your judgement of helping the forces. 

So the questions David Cameron and Liam Fox should be seeking answers to from Brown & Ainsworth:

-    What are our current mission objectives in Afghanistan?   (These have to be specific & measurable, not vague rhetoric of stopping terrorists reaching UK or provide democracy to the region….it could be argued that bringing democracy to the region will be achieved through the elections this month…but we know that troops won’t be pulled out post these elections as the region is still unstable, hence why we need more specific objectives).)

-    When do we know when the mission goals have been achieved?  Again, have to be specific so people can judge if we are achieving them.

-    What is our exit strategy?   When is this estimated to be?  Do the Government agree that, as reported by a Leading Army General, Britain will need to be there for 30/40 years, in what capacity and what numbers?

-    Do the Government agree with President Karzai that the Taliban and terrorist groups should be brought to the negotiating table today?  Would the UK Government negotiate with the Taliban?

-    What successes have been achieved thus far in this campaign?  Is Operation Panther’s Claw a success as Sky News on the ground reports demonstrate an enemy that is still very well organised and able to attack at will.  Why was Panther’s Claw judged a success?

-    On election day, the terrorists will be planning a series of atrocities.  What contingency plans have been made to protect citizens and British Troops?

-    How can Britain and the USA ensure a fair burden of military operations with NATO in this campaign?  We know that NATO partners have token forces in presence and those that are there are placed in more remote areas of Afghanistan with less chances of direct conflict.  Why is the Government silent on this issue and allowing Brits & Americans to shoulder the main bulk of the military offensive? 

-    How has the Government reviewed whether military equipment used by soldiers is fit for purpose?  Why do military top brass criticise their equipment if it is fit for purpose??

-    Are their enough Army helicopters to get troops in and out of the theatre of battle quickly enough?  Can the Government see any evidence of troops entering the battle theatre in slow moving vehicles leaving them exposed to enemy attack?  Why did a now dead army soldier report back on video that US Soldiers were taking the piss out of British Military equipment for being so bad?  Is cost the key influencing criteria for issuing military equipment into the Theatre of battle?  If so, has cost led to any cutbacks of equipment thus far and in what?

-     Has opium production increased or decreased in Afghanistan in the past 12 months?  What evidence does the Government have when reports indicate Opium production has radically increased?

-     Has Taliban geographical control increased or decreased in past 12 months and will the Government map out their perspective of the locations of Taliban spheres of influence, (including that of Pakistan).

-     If there was a terrorist attack in the UK by Al Qaeda would that then signify a failure of mission objectives in Afghanistan?

-     How many terrorist attacks have been foiled by Scotland Yard in the past 2 years by groups linked to the Taliban/Afghanistan/Al Qaeda? 

-     How many terrorist sympathisers are being monitored/tracked in the UK at this current time?

-     How many people from Afghanistan & Pakistan entered the UK under a student visa and cannot currently be tracked?

It is clear, from an exclusive interview on Sky News with Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a Mujahideen leader who was once the Afghan prime minister, now leads the Hezb-e-Islami political party and paramilitary group, that nothing short of US & British troop withdawel from Afghanistan is what they seek and this war will be long and bloody. Take a look here.  Hence, the need to answer questions if we are in this for the long term……

It is only fair that every citizen, particularly soldiers and their families, know and understand our objectives.  They risk their lives…it is the least we owe them.

It is not unpatriotic to ask these questions.  It does not undermine our armed forces.  It does not show a divided nation.

Lets recall Parliament and reinforce our objectives and support our troops and their families by answering these questions.  They deserve nothing less.

For those interested take a look at previous blogs and insights into this subject close to all our hearts:

Afghanistan: Why we ALL have a right to question our strategy   http://tiny.cc/R0p1d

UK Possesses 67 Apache Attack Helicopters: Guess how many are in Afghanistan?: http://tiny.cc/z6iFp

Lest we forget….A Tribute: http://tiny.cc/rrzfq

Bob Ainsworth…the man…a message: http://tiny.cc/2GA0K

The Blood on Gordon Brown’s Hands: http://tiny.cc/ltofZ

Obama shifts Tact….as TBB looks into Afghanistan home of drugs & legalised rape: http://tiny.cc/qnEPi

Afghanistan…Questions Gordon Brown must answer now: http://tiny.cc/ObHC6

What the hell are we doing in Afghanistan? Why the Silence?  It’s time for answers!: http://tiny.cc/yIpKM

The Government is fast losing control over Afghanistan.  Putting aside partisan politics, our unified duty is to ensure that our troops operate to clear objectives, have the best resources behind them, to limit potential dangers to them and reduce the increasing death toll.  But it does not help that the Prime Minister has again been caught lying.  Thank god that Pinocchio tendencies are not real as Brown would have a nose longer than the river Nile!  This contempt for the British people and telling lies is fast becoming a norm and will be interwoven into his legacy. 

Brown has been calling all week for political parties and politicians not to break cross party support for the war as this undermines our troops and sends the wrong message to the enemy.  He tries to make us feel disloyal and that we are playing into the hands of the enemy by speaking out.  Of course, normally he is right.  But when the strategy is unclear and troops are sent into battle with less than adequate equipment, then people have a right to ask questions…it is OUR COLLECTIVE DUTY.  This weekend, not only do we have the Lib Dems & Conservatives raising questions, former Defence Chief John Hutton is entering into the debate, but we also have more insight into Defence Chiefs unease and even President Karzai of Afghanistan is questioning strategy of troop deployment and whether to negotiate with the Taliban.  All these strands show that Afghanistan is crying out for clear leadership and Brown has failed our soldiers on giving it and letting this situation get out of control.

Let’s look at the evidence from Sunday Newspaper revelations….

Remember this quote from the Prime Minister to the House of Commons, 2 days back?  Field commanders had “assured me that… troops have the equipment that they need”…..well that now appears not to be the case!!!!  ‘Surprise, surprise’ as Cilla would say.

Ever addicted to spin and managing the media, Brown organised a photo opportunity to highlight his support for British war heroes.  A young soldier and a charity fundraiser seriously injured in the war for Iraq joined Gordon on the steps of No.10 for a nice photo for all the national papers to print….making the electorate think of Gordon as a lovely bloke committed to our soldiers.  However, all did not go to plan!  What will be remembered is a quote from Sir Jock Stirrup, chief of the defence staff, and his admission he was “busting a gut”to get more helicopters for Afghanistan.  The quote nails the lie of Brown’s insistence these past few weeks that the mission in Helmand was fully equipped.  What makes Brown think he can get away with telling such porkers that defence Chiefs were happy…the truth always outs! 

This follows hot on the heels of a bad week for the Government that saw a minister anonymously attacking the head of the army, General Sir Richard Dannatt, as a “total c***”.   This enraged the army so much that they spoke out and hence defied every unwritten convention dictating that generals do not meddle in politics, and that politicians remain impartial.  As we know Bob Ainsworth had to write to all his Ministers to rein them in —the sure sign of a man not fit for the job.  Today…humiliatingly, we learn that the ‘real Prime Minister’ Peter Mandolsen has had to intervene to calm the situation and stop negative briefings toward Dannatt.  Bob is fast coming an embarrassment that this Government is carrying…what can Brown do….sack him?….that implies strong leadership!

Helicopters still dominates the news.  Interestingly, the Sunday Telegraph revealed that the Government rejected the opportunity to buy 12 “cut-price” helicopters, which were  nearly ready for operational use in Afghanistan.  Given spending restraints the Government opted to save money and focus on upgrading its own machines. Ministers rejected an offer of a dozen SA 330 Puma transport helicopters from the United Arab Emirates at a cost of about £6 million each.   How much would you price the value of 1 saved soldier?

SA 330 Puma transport helicopters.   

Today, John Hutton, Former Defence Secretary, has powerfully added his voice to the calls for extra troops and helicopters to be provided for British forces in Helmand in an interview in the Sunday Telegraph.  Did you know that there are about 25 British military helicopters in Afghanistan, out of more than 600 operated by the Armed Forces worldwide?   Hutton stated that the mood among troops on the ground was “unequivocal”on the need for more troops, helicopters and protection from roadside bombs.  Hutton predicted that there would be “urgent discussions” taking place on adding to the 9,000-strong British deployment. And he called for a promised review of troop numbers to be brought forward from October. In today’s article, Mr Hutton backed the Government’s strategy of stabilising Afghanistan and defeating those who would offer a safe haven to al Qaida. But he added: “It is going to take more resources to properly execute… “It is clear we need more logistical support to reduce the risk of as much of the troop movements and supply effort as possible.”

Some interesting points from John Hutton….but of course upping the troop numbers without a proportionate increase in helicopters and protective equipment would be foolhardy.  This discussion is not about adding more troops….it is bigger than that.

Last up we learn in the Sunday Times, the President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, is questioning strategy.  Karzai has asked the West to reflect on creating a new strategy for Afghanistan, warning that more troops does not go hand in hand with improving security.  “Military operations are no longer enough, We have to rethink the way we do things — without that there won’t be any improvement.”  That is quite a damning insight.  As the number of British troops dieing in Afghanistan reaches its highest numbers, the President of Afghanistan doubts the strategy is working!

But Karzai went one step further.  He called for negotiations with the Taliban!  Karzai would even be prepared for Mullah Omar, the Taliban leader, to attend talks!  Wow this has echoes of Chamberlain and Hitler!  This is smacking of appeasement and if the President of Afghanistan is happy to negotiate with the enemy, it makes you really question what would happy if troops were withdrawn today!  

Let us not forget, as demonstrated by a recent blog article insight into Karzai’s Afghanisatn, that the regime is corrupt.  Take a look here.  http://bit.ly/dLHNL   

Our soldiers and their families deserve better than this current policy, strategic, operational mess we are witnessing.  What is crytsal clear is the bravery of our soldiers who unquestionably put their lives on the line for this country.  Our support is unwavering for them.  But our support for what is right and the truth is also as unwavering and we have a duty to question and speak out! 

The most depressing of sights…fallen British heroes brought home in coffins.  No more….

President Obama has conceded in an interview with Adam Boulton on Sky News that a fresh review of Afghanistan strategy will be needed….after planned Afghanistan elections.  Obama was full of praise for the British troops and Britain’s ‘extraordinary contribution’ and felt the pain of loss at their death.  But he stated that the UK were more at threat than the USA from the Taliban and terrorists.  He raised the prospect that terrorists would be at pains to cause atrocities in London and that this was not just a USA war but a world war that the British needed to play a critical role.

So let’s take a look at the regime we are defending with British lives….the presidential election is due to be held on August 20th. This will be the country’s 2nd democratic election. The previous 2004 Afghan election was held on October 9, 2004, whereby President Hamid Karzai won thus granting him a five-year term ending this October.

The elections are all set.  On March 11, 2009, NATO officials announced that 15.6 million voters had registered to vote, roughly 50% of the country’s population. 35 to 38 percent of the registered voters are women.

These are the women that many are currently being ‘raped’.  President Karzai only recently signed a law the UN states legalizes rape in marriage and prevents women from leaving the house without permission.  The law, which has not been publicly released, is understood to state women can only seek work, education or doctor’s appointments with their husband’s permission.  Opponents of this law governing the personal lives of Afghanistan’s Shia minority have said it is “worse than during the Taliban”. 

How can women be demoted to such second class citizens?  Political analysts state that President Karzai is electioneering at the expense of women’s rights by signing the law to win crucial votes from Shia swing voters in this year’s presidential poll.  While the Afghan constitution guarantees equal rights for women, it also allows the Shia community, (10 per cent of the population), the right to settle family law cases according to Shia law. 

So, nice start….women are demoted to ‘slave’ status….what about the rest of the Government and state of the country?  Sorry to say, Karzai’s government is corrupt, muddled, and feeble. It is rapidly losing authority both in the Pashtun regions of the country, where most of the armed opposition to the Kabul authorities and the coalition forces is found, and in the still relatively peaceful non-Pashtun areas.

As stated on this blog many times, drugs drive the economy.  After the Taliban were overthrown in 2001 there was a lot of confidence about planned agricultural and industrial projects. Some of the promised aid & help aid has never been delivered, and much has been just frittered away and wasted.

Now as Obama states this is not a US led war….for him it is important to be seen as the USA being a part of a global alliance.  The unity of the Nato forces tasked to defeat the Taliban is quite frankly a joke.  Most of the countries supporting the US and Britain have sent their forces to lurk and hide in uncontested parts of the country.  This allows their Government’s to show they are playing their part but remaining popular at home as they keep costs low….both in terms of money and casualties!

And there goes the problem…….war is expensive both in terms of cash and deaths of soldiers.  Britain has suffered 15 deaths in 10 days and that is a terrific price to pay.  The cost is also crippling, especially in a recession.  £2.5 billion.  Many soldiers are also questioning the military tactics employed…… especially by the American forces, (which Britain depends on).  Some of these tactics are highly dubious eg the use of an air arm that sometimes finds it hard to differentiate between the enemy gathering for an attack and ordinary people gathering for a wedding!

Most challenging of all is the question of geography and territory creep.  This war is spreading across different borders. At the start of this war al-Qaida and the Taliban fled Afghanistan to find sanctuary in Pakistani villages.   But fast forward to today and that very Taliban and terrorist groupings have been eroding Islamabad’s control of the tribal areas and today the possibility of the possible defeat, or at least the retreat, of Pakistani armed forces in their own country is a reality.  That is a scary reality….and far worse than the situation we initially faced at the start of this war.

So who is likely to win the Presidential election?  While Afghans on the street openly complain about Karzai’s rule, surveys show he is likely to win a second term….why?….because his opponents have almost no support. A May poll found that 31 percent of 3,200 Afghans surveyed said they would vote for Karzai if the Aug. 20 presidential election were held today — NB he won 55 % support in the 2004 poll….that’s a big drop in support.  But Karzai would be happier to know that the poll showed that: 69 percent of respondents had a favorable opinion of him, and 43 % of likely voters said he deserves a second term. Now here is the fascinating stat:  only 7 % said they would vote for Karzai’s closest competitor, Abdullah Abdullah. The next strongest opponent, Ashraf Ghani, had just 4 % support.

So, this interesting insight clearly shows that we face big issues and that the Afghanistani people also need to start putting their own house in order….they are a long way from doing that…..and we are a long way from removing our troops from Afghanistan…….what a mess!

Our economy is in a sick state.  Public debt is our cancerous growth which threatens to make us the sick man of Europe again.

As we review costs, maybe now is the time to review Trident and for OUR Party to place this on the Political Agenda.  But not for cost reasons…for political reasons…..(although saving £76 billion is a nice slice off the national debt, to go with the £45 billion for the ID Card Scheme).

Barack Obama has called for a nuclear proliferation summit for Spring 2010.  The language is softer…the goals clear.

Yes our goal must be to reduce nuclear weapons to the barest minimum but we reduce by ‘collective action’ and not unilaterally.  No unilateral cuts in our submarines or 160 warheads but that does not mean we cant discuss upgrade & cost reduction.

Obama is offering the world real cuts in nuclear stockpiles.  Russia and the USA have already agreed fresh reductions.  Obama says any future deals would involve nuclear powers reducing their stockpiles and offering civilian nuclear know-how to non-nuclear states in return for them promising not to develop nuclear weapons. 

Russia’s biggest concern is the missile defence system that Reagan started, in Europe, aka ‘Star Wars’.  Providing Europe and the USA the umbrella of defence against attack.  Initially attack was deemed to come from the Soviet Union / Russia but now that threat is defined as from rogue nuclear nations, typically Iran.  Now this is a fascinating game of brinkmanship.  Obama says to Russia, help us stop Iran getting nuclear weapons and there is no need for our missile defence system.  Clever.  (But of course Iran is not the only rogue state. Don’t forget North Korea who are desperate to build a bomb….and no doubt would not hesitate to fire against their Southern neighbours……and the Pakistan regime is so brittle that who is to say that the Taliban don’t topple it in x period of time).

Will we ever see a world free from nuclear weapons?  No.  Because you cannot uninvent the technology for these weapons.  The moment a conflict arises then the arms race starts again.  This is not the case if minimal numbers of nuclear weapons are kept.  Minimal is the key word and definition of.

So returning to the issue of Trident upgrade.  In this current environment of a willingness to reduce weapons….what message does it send out for Great Britain to be investing in upgrading its nuclear weapons when stockpiles are being reduced.  It’s like calling for a smoking ban while lighting up a huge havana…..not the best message.

Maybe it is time that the Conservatives predicted this issue and seized the agenda on the grounds of joining the Obama agenda of reducing nuclear stockpiles across the world and upgrading does not send the best message out to our friends and neighbours…and to those states wanting a bomb.  Imagine the UK saying….’Sorry…..we dont want you to have a bomb but we will upgrade our stockpile’…….a hypocrites charter. 

Go to it Liam Fox this is your weekend to seize the political agenda on Afghanistan and also Trident upgrade.