MOD: Reports that a British Soldier has been killed today in Afghanistan, the soldier was from the " 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards ". Thus since 2001 the UK has lost 258 of its Armed Forces Personnel in Afghanistan, of that total it has lost 225 in combat operations, and 33 due to illness, accidents other incidents. My problem with NATO strategy in Afghanistan is the same problem that the US had in the Vietnam War with Viet Cong, the Taliban can throw their guns away and hide in plain sight, thus Operation Moshtarak might be in conventional military terms a success but that success can turn sour within a few weeks or months if the soldiers become targets for the insurgents. Lets be honest folks the Taliban/Al Qaeda can wait out President Obama, if the two Obama surges in Afghanistan don't work by 2011 the President will be a tight spot, if the withdraws troops the Afghanistan War will be seen as another Vietnam, in essence the Taliban have won, but if POTUS keeps soldiers in theatre he will lose the support of the liberal left wing of the Democratic Party. Thus not surprising that President Obama has started to look old beyond his years. That star of 2008 might find that the young have moved on to vote for the next American Idol. Politics is like sand, you have only audience for a while then they move on, after FDR there have only be two long lasting stars of the Presidency, that has been JFK and Reagan, will Obama be the next star or another Jimmy Carter.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Operation Moshtarak ( Together ) - Results
BBC News: Reports on the early success of Operation Moshtarak, from operational reports it seems that the Taliban have withdrawn from Marjah, thus a success for NATO. As noted in this blog the Taliban could withdraw and hide in plain sight, what should worry NATO is what comes afterwards, the Taliban had no chance in a direct one to one fight with NATO, but that is not the point with Afghanistan, just ask the USSR. The point is after the initial military assault will NATO face an increase in insurgent attacks and will it the be able to hold Marjah and other areas. Also will the Kabul Government gain the loyalty of these new areas under NATO control, will the local people feel some kind of loyalty to Kabul. The Taliban have a strategic decision to make, do they hold back and wait for the Obama surge troops to go home in 2011 and face the prospect that they cant win back the population or do they carry on with the their insurgent fight, either could option and they could lose. Lets hope they make bad choice.
Afghanistan Front News
MOD: Has released the name of the soldier killed on Thursday, the soldier was, " Lance Corporal Darren Hicks from 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards ". Our thoughts are with the family of Lance Corporal Hicks.
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