Troops 'attack key Taleban base'

[Barman]

Taleban fighters defending the strategic Afghan town of Musa Qala in Helmand province say they are under attack from British and Afghan troops.

Source

Call me a silly ol’ traditionalist if you like but I thought the key element of any attack was surprise – yet the coalition forces have been warning of this event for weeks…

Hundreds of local people fled after tribal elders were told of the attack and warning leaflets dropped from the air.

Not since the First World War when artillery bombardments routinely preceded the attack can an enemy have had so much warning of when and where an attack was going to happen…

The Taleban say they have more than 2,000 fighters ready for the defence of Musa Qala, the only substantial town they hold.

The Taleban defences include hundreds of mines.

Well that’s a big surprise then… You’d have though that the Taliban would have signed-up to the international agreement banning mines and left the way open for their attackers… 

[Nick]

The argument, I assume, is that civilian casualties are a no no, and also have huge propaganda value for the, um, barking ragheads?

[Snoopy]

Two problems with all this
1 Why did we leave the city 6 months ago, accepting a promise from the locals that the Taleban would not come back, and think that we would not have to retake it later
AND
2 Why, whenever Afghanistan is mentioned (and God knows it is a tragic war for us to be involved in) do I keep getting mental images from Carry On Up The Khyber

[Barman]

The argument, I assume, is that civilian casualties are a no no, and also have huge propaganda value for the, um, barking ragheads?

Yes, at what point did ‘civilian casualties are inevitable’ become ‘civilian casualties are impracticable’?

It seems we are happier to sacrifice our own than risk the horror of civilian casualties used as propaganda by the enemy…

[Barman]

Two problems with all this
1 Why did we leave the city 6 months ago, accepting a promise from the locals that the Taleban would not come back, and think that we would not have to retake it later
AND
2 Why, whenever Afghanistan is mentioned (and God knows it is a tragic war for us to be involved in) do I keep getting mental images from Carry On Up The Khyber

Yes, I can’t believe there has been any previous conflict where hard-fought battles to gain territory have been followed by simply giving it back in order to fight over it all over again later…

Oh hold on though, isn’t that exactly what the Americans did in Vietnam? 

[Darwins Selection]

Two problems with all this
1 Why did we leave the city 6 months ago, accepting a promise from the locals that the Taleban would not come back, and think that we would not have to retake it later
AND
2 Why, whenever Afghanistan is mentioned (and God knows it is a tragic war for us to be involved in) do I keep getting mental images from Carry On Up The Khyber

Yes, I can’t believe there has been any previous conflict where hard-fought battles to gain territory have been followed by simply giving it back in order to fight over it all over again later…

Oh hold on though, isn’t that exactly what the Americans did in Vietnam? 

It is not without precedent. 

[TG]

Don't overcomplicate things. It's your traditional Christmas offensive.

You have to have these to show that everyone is paying attention and not on the satelite phone home saying thankyou for the armour plated socks.

Do we still send packets of ciggies to the troops or is that against H&S regs?

Anyway, if all goes well it will lead to great TV of slaughtered enemy soldiers for us to get teary eyed over before the queens speech, without the inconvenient images of collaterally damaged civilans trying to hold their insides in.

Also, of course the Afghan army are up front first so we wont be disturbed by wailing Islamic mothers as nobody will bother to film them.

Are they sending Noel Edmond's over this year? Or am I living in the past?

[Snoopy]

Does this mean a game of football in No Man's Land on the 25th?

[Barman]

Does this mean a game of football in No Man's Land on the 25th?

That might be interesting…

The British Generals stopped it lest the troops discovered that The Hun didn’t spend all day raping women and eating babies…

In the case of the Taliban they might well discover that they do…

[grumpyoldsoldier]

Don't overcomplicate things. It's your traditional Christmas offensive.

You have to have these to show that everyone is paying attention and not on the satelite phone home saying thankyou for the armour plated socks.

Do we still send packets of ciggies to the troops or is that against H&S regs?

Anyway, if all goes well it will lead to great TV of slaughtered enemy soldiers for us to get teary eyed over before the queens speech, without the inconvenient images of collaterally damaged civilans trying to hold their insides in.

Also, of course the Afghan army are up front first so we wont be disturbed by wailing Islamic mothers as nobody will bother to film them.

Are they sending Noel Edmond's over this year? Or am I living in the past?

Maybe you could show your support for the armed forces here.....

http://www.supportoursoldiers.co.uk/

[TG]

Don't overcomplicate things. It's your traditional Christmas offensive.

You have to have these to show that everyone is paying attention and not on the satelite phone home saying thankyou for the armour plated socks.

Do we still send packets of ciggies to the troops or is that against H&S regs?

Anyway, if all goes well it will lead to great TV of slaughtered enemy soldiers for us to get teary eyed over before the queens speech, without the inconvenient images of collaterally damaged civilans trying to hold their insides in.

Also, of course the Afghan army are up front first so we wont be disturbed by wailing Islamic mothers as nobody will bother to film them.

Are they sending Noel Edmond's over this year? Or am I living in the past?

Maybe you could show your support for the armed forces here.....

http://www.supportoursoldiers.co.uk/

Cheap shot.

Read your history books. Afghanistan has been a meatgrinder for foreign armies for centuries. Sattellites and smart bombs are not making that much difference this time round.

The British were taught a harsh lesson in 1842, the Russians were taught the same lesson in the 1980's.

We are in the process of writing new text books on military failure in this particular part of the world.

The best possible method of support for our troops in Afghanistan is to bring them home and not expend their lives in repeating history.

There is no military solution, only a political one. Or perhaps no solution at all.

[grumpyoldsoldier]

Cheap shot? it was merely a suggestion that you could help the armed forces who are involved in this conflict. I am more than sure they would appreciate the implied support.  Something Christmassy would be nice.
Thanks for the history lesson,but it is the standard briefing for all members of the armed forces prior to posting. As per your statement about bringing them all home? This one will be home for christmas.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7134856.stm

[Barman]

I agree with bringing the troops home – history tells us their sacrifice will serve no purpose…

As for the pre-announced offensive that is going so well, I would have announced it then carpet-bombed the whole place…

[apc2010]

And there are still there ............