Politicians, Listen Up. Find the Money for the Equipment They Need. Now.

Ramp Ceremony held for Pte Robert Costall 1st Battlion of the Princess Patricias Canadian Light Infantry (1PPCLI)

This photo of a fallen Canadian soldier is part of a series from Afghanistan. Scroll down through them and appreciate what our fine young men from the US, Canada, UK, Romania, Germany and other allies from Nato face every day. In today's Telegraph is printed a scathing opinion piece on what is going on in Afghanistan. It is one thing for our politicians to make decisions to put our troops into God forsaken places to try and settle problems the old fashion way. It is quite another for them to provide the money, equipment and other resources for these same men to do their job.

Find the damn money. Tax whatever, whoever. Cut some non-essential spending from the multitude of billions begging to be cut, but find the damn money.

Now that I am calm again, I quote from the Telegraph opinion piece:

The Hidden War

(Filed: 02/10/2006)

"Britain's military deployment in Afghanistan is built on a false prospectus and is being sustained by a noxious cocktail of spin, misinformation and concealment.

Our ill-equipped forces are facing the toughest combat conditions since the Falklands and only now, as battle-wearied troops are pulled back for rest and recuperation, are the true horrors of this hidden war beginning to emerge in a graphic series of their e-mails and digital pictures.

What is shameful is that government ministers have been straining every sinew to keep the true facts from the public...."

Keep the faith.

(Update) Trish at the Belmont club posted this:
trish said...
From The Telegraph:


Paras almost retreated under Taliban assault

By Tom Coghlan
(Filed: 02/10/2006)

British forces in southern Afghanistan came within hours of retreating from a key base because they suffered a critical shortage of helicopters, the task force commander has disclosed.

In an exclusive interview with The Daily Telegraph Brig Ed Butler said Taliban fire was so heavy and accurate at Musa Qala, a key forward base in northern Helmand, that Army helicopters faced a serious risk of being hit.

Brigadier Ed Butler
Brigadier Ed Butler, commander of British Forces in Afghanistan

He said the loss of such crucial equipment — together with the political impact of a large loss of life — meant he came close to ordering his soldiers to abandon the base.

Brig Butler said he had warned his superiors early last month that the intensity of Taliban attacks was such that mounting air supply and casualty evacuation missions was likely to lead to the loss of Chinook helicopters.

[...]

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Afghanistan has been and remains a severely under-resourced theater - and not just for NATO. Short on everything but bad guys (the game preserve for SF that Yon memorably described), it is not surprising that British forces have sought a withdrawal agreement with Taliban leaders in the south. The Afghan government, of whom locals are deeply mistrustful, must now step back into these areas and assert itself anew. As many local Afghan officials are former warlords, I don't imagine this will be a pleasant process. I also don't know what the ready alternative might be.

Whatever happens in the south, there are other areas, sorely neglected, that undoubtedly wait to grab headlines. We'll see what next Spring coughs up.

10/02/2006 05:48:14 AM