The END of the UK War in Afghanistan - Afghan War

MOD: Reports " UK Armed Forces end combat operations in Helmand, paving the way for the final transfer of security to the Afghan National Security Forces. "

Lets Get Real:

Thus some good news, the War in Afghanistan has finished for UK Forces, the cost of the War was " As at 26 April 2014, a total of 453 British forces personnel or MOD civilians have died while serving in Afghanistan since the start of operations in October 2001.

Of these, 404 were killed as a result of hostile action.

49 are known to have died either as a result of illness, non-combat injuries or accidents, or have not yet officially been assigned a cause of death pending the outcome of an investigation. The balance of these figures may change as inquests are concluded. "  The question that must be asked was the WAR worth it, in one respect yes, the Taliban and its ally Al Qaeda were removed from power and influence, the people of Afghanistan are free, there are schools for both genders in Afghanistan, the people of Afghanistan get to elect their own government.    Thus lets comes to the negative aspect, the Taliban and Al Qaeda are still in Afghanistan, they are a constant threat to the new Government in Kabul.   If we leave Afghanistan alone there is a great chance that the Taliban will take over and we will be right back to the same problems as pre 9/11.   This time the Allies have to stay and support the new regime in Kabul, the US is keeping ten thousand troops in Afghanistan, is it enough, who knows, its  a start, the UK and the US can be proud of its actions, but will it be a long term success, that is for the future. 

In The Forest of the Night - Doctor Who Review

Doctor Who News: Reports " 5.03 million viewers watched Doctor Who: In The Forest Of The Night, a share of 21.6% of the total TV audience, according to unofficial overnight figures.  "

Lets Get Real:

My school trips were never like this, yes London, No tree invasion, it would have been more fun if it had been, the Doctor Clara, Danny and his class were caught up in the latest adventure, London had been taken OVER by trees.   The episode was quite pivotal, Danny learned that Clara had not been telling him the truth, he found that she had left books to be marked. The decision by Clara to stay when the Doctor told her this was IT, the fate of mankind was to be taken up by the forest, was quite moving, the Guardian notes "  Here, there is all the brilliantly done doom-and-gloom, end-of-days, Clara-choosing-to-die-with-the-rest-of-humanity stuff. And then – D’oh! – the Doctor just remembers that actually there was no threat in the first place and the trees had sprung up to protect us from the solar flare. "   As a former Teacher this blog would advice Danny not to be act COOL, that is the last thing students want, they want structure, they want order, and NO TREE INVASION would help.  The Telegraph notes, " Peter Capaldi was a delight, too, in this episode; his irascibility with the kids feeling reminiscent of William Hartnell’s cantankerous Doctor. ".  An episode for ALL the family.   This blog is a bit of a fan of the 1st Doctor, the Original as he once said. 

Kobane Update Part 2 - War on Terror 2

Fox News: Reports " Islamic State militants battling for control of the Syrian border city of Kobani ramped up their offensive Thursday, re-taking ground west of the city where the U.S. made a crucial supply drop.. "

Lets Get Real:

The Kobani or Kobane front seems like a World War One Trench warfare, two sides in endless fighting, gaining a bit of land, but then having to give it up, at the end US entry in World War One helped break deadlock on the Western Front, it will take US ground troops to break IS in Kobane, the Kurds do not have the men or arms, they are getting air drops, but as the article notes this might not happen again and IS have retaken the land for the drops, also the Turks have been slow in allowing Kurds to cross the border as to fight IS.   One has to presume that the US has spotters on the ground, hence boots on the ground, the Kobane front needs US boots on the ground, that is the only way that Kobane can be a net plus for the Oval. 

Ottawa Update - War on Terror 2

CNN - Politics: Reports " The suspect in Wednesday's shootings in Ottawa had "connections" to jihadists in Canada who shared a radical Islamist ideology, including at least one who went overseas to fight in Syria, multiple U.S. sources told CNN on Thursday. "

Lets Get Real:

Thus there are links to the Middle East but from reports as noted in this article above the Canadian Police view the attacks of yesterday as a long wolf operation, they are the hardest to stop as there is no terror cell, so no leaks, the Internet can be held to blame in many respects, these terror groups can broadcast their hate views without any one to stop them, it is about time the West used Intelligence to close down these sites, make it harder for mad men to access such criminal views, also there needs to be more control of the Internet, close down other criminal threats, freedom, comes at a price, thus this blog is calling for more Western co-operation when it comes to Internet, the West should not be afraid to pull the plug on some sites, if it saves lives then strong government actions should be supported. 

Kobane Update - War on Terror 2

Guardian: Reports " US-led air strikes on Syria have killed more than 500 Isis and al-Nusra fighters "

Lets Get Real:

This is good news, lets hope IS sends hundreds more of its fighters to be killed, they are the lowest of the low, they have no humanity thus deserve their fate.    The IS and Al Qaeda groups are a threat to Syria, Iraq and the region.   IS has made Kobane a strategic important, thus the hundreds of its fighters have been send to take on the Kurds, who ever wins Kobane has good PR points, while the loser will have to regroup.   The Oval can not afford to lose Kobane, this close to the US Mid Term elections, thus must carry on no matter what, the Western Allies also have to worry that IS will be a bigger threat to Baghdad over the coming, days, weeks and months,  they have to be pushed back in Iraq.    

Russia vs. NATO - New Cold War 2

BBC News: Reports that " A Russian spy plane has been intercepted by Nato jets over the Baltic Sea, the alliance says, amid heightened tensions in the region.  "

Lets Get Real:

President Putin of Russia is pushing his luck, he has seen the West fold over the Crimea, a weak reaction to Russian troops in East Ukraine, he is now trying his luck with the Baltic States.   The next time Putin makes a move, and he will make a move the West has to have a strong reaction, what if tries to cause unrest in Baltic States, they ALL have minority Russian populations, what if they call to be allowed to part of a Greater Russia.   The problem of Russia in a way is more troubling that IS in Syria and Iraq, it only takes a wrong move by Putin for the World to have another Cuban Missile Crisis, and this time POTUS can not sell out a NATO member like JFK did with Turkey.   The flashpoint is coming, as sure as the Bear is a symbol of Russia, a bear is always after more food, thus the same with Russia wanting either a Greater Russia or the old USSR back. 

Kobane Update - War on Terror 2

Fox News: Reports " U.S. and Kurdish commanders are collaborating closely to ensure that the Syrian border town of Kobani does not fall to Islamic State militants.."

Lets Get Real:

Kobane has become a PR symbol for the West and the Obama Oval, it can not afford to lose it NOW, thus the bombing of IS to defend the Kurds of Kobane and of late the dropping of arms, even if some ended up in the arms of IS who made PR news with pictures of the US supplies.   The Oval needs to get ground troops in to Iraq and Syria, that is the only way that the West can win the Middle East, the Kurds are good fighters but they are up against a well supplied enemy who are brutal and are the lowest of the low.   A strong Western presence could take out IS within a few weeks, yes hard fighting, but worth it for the security of the West.