The Price of Afghanistan

The Times: Reports on the human cost of Afghanistan, the dead and wounded soldiers, the expected lost of the 200th death in Afghanistan and how long the War attrition will have the support of the UK voter. As noted this blog for years has supported our Armed Forces in Afghanistan but not the War, those kind to read this blog might have noticed that since July of this year this blog has taken a marked different tone, we have to win in Afghanistan now, we lost 22 Armed Forces Personnel in July, in August so far we have lost 8. The blood has been spilled we got chased out of Iraq in many respects, not enough troops and not enough public support in the UK. The War in Afghanistan is different, we have lost more of our Armed Forces Personnel in Afghanistan than Iraq, in Afghanistan the total is now 199 in Iraq at the end we lost 179. The War in Afghanistan never going to make Afghanistan a Democracy in the model of the UK or the USA, women's rights are never going to be the same as they are in the UK or the USA. The idea that Western values can be transported to Afghanistan is an illusion. If and when we leave Afghanistan, and we will leave with the USA, it does not matter, a semi democracy with rights for women that protects the back of the West would be great but a one man rule by a strong man that gives not rights to women but protects the West is also okay. The UK and USA Governments have to understand that we cant nation build in Afghanistan, its the Wild West in many respects and we don't want to be General Custer, the UK has done that and got the T-shirt in the 19the Century. Lets hope the military planners know their history, because if they don't Afghanistan will be the modern Vietnam War for the USA and the UK.