The Shadow of the Taliban

The Times: Reports that latest British Soldier to die in Afghanistan was in a district that was supposed to have been cleared of the Taliban, as the article notes so far the District of Babaji has been deadly to UK forces since the end of Operation Panther’s Claw, the UK has lost five soldiers with the death today. Thus the need for the UK to send more forces, the point of the new strategy by the US Military is to gain security for the local population, but if we cant secure our own forces how can can we gain security for the local population. The latest death is pure PR terms is not good for the UK, the Taliban from their twisted cowardice view of the world have had a success, and back home in the UK the Labour Government will come under more pressure to get out of Afghanistan. At the end of the day we need boots on the ground, we need keep and secure areas we take from the Taliban, it is pointless to gain ground if the West can not secure the security of the population and its own forces. It is about time that PM Gordon Brown accept that he cant not fight a war on the cheap, we are either in our out, and since it does not look like we are leaving soon, our troops and our reputation needs protection. The problem for PM Brown is that the UK economy is in the sewers, there might be green leaves in some aspects of the economy but people are still out of work, and the UK is in debt big time. Thus what ever government take over in 2010 after the General Election there will have to be cuts, but this time it cant be defence, we have a major commitment to Afghanistan, thus either Labour or Conservatives will have to find cuts in other departments, this will hurt either party. But at the end of the day to protect our troops and the honour of the UK we have to send more troops, keep them secure and give security to the people of Afghanistan.

Death in Afghanistan

MOD: Reports that another British soldier has died in Afghanistan, the soldier was from the " 2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, operating with The Light Dragoons Battle Group " Thus since 2001 the UK has lost 214 of its Armed Forces Personnel in Afghanistan, of that total, 183 have died due to combat operations, another 31 have died to illness, accidents or other incidents. On the whole September has seen a decline in the death toll for UK forces, so far only four deaths this month. Lets hope there are not more deaths, it seems that it is US forces that are taking the brunt of losses due to the Obama surge. It can be postulated that there will be more sad days for the families of Western Forces in Afghanistan.

A Deal in Afghanistan ?

Guardian: Reports on pressure from the West for President Karzai of Afghanistan and Dr Abdullah Abdullah to do a deal over the governance of Afghanistan. It can be argued that the Obama Administration needs a deal more than Karzai and Abdullah, the US this year has lost as reported by icasualties.org, 200 of its Armed Forces Personnel, and it only September folks. Thus if the political elite in Afghanistan can not come to together, the Obama Administration will have to decide what horse it wants to support. As noted in the Guardian article there can not be a new election due to weather conditions in Afghanistan are about to get worse, also whats to stop another fraudulent election. Thus the Obama White House might have to think outside the box, the West either cares about the election or it does not, is the mission to nation build Afghanistan or to get the terrorists, they are not the same thing folks. It can be argued that President Obama should allow President Karzai to have another term, but give him a warning, that Diem of South Vietnam didn't change, and his government was removed by a green light from Washington D.C. This is why Afghanistan is such a nightmare folks, no easy way to win but a lot of ways to lose.

Iran Style RIOTS in Afghanistan ?

The Sunday Times: Reports that Afghanistan could face Iran style riots over the fraudulent election. This is the last thing that the Obama Administration needs, it is already under fire from the liberal left who do not want to send more troops to Afghanistan, it has been reported by CNN that the Defence Secretary Robert Gates wants to send three thousand more troops out to Afghanistan to deal with the IEDs on the roads, this would be separate from the predicted need to send another forty five thousand troops out just to have a chance of winning in Afghanistan. It would be a PR nightmare if the opposition to President Karzai went on the streets, Karzai would be another Diem, the Obama Administration would have to decide either to support Karzai or get a new government. Either action would have an Imperial tone to it, as it would be the USA taking over the old British role of placing a friendly power on the throne of Afghanistan. One has to wonder does Obama get that Afghanistan will be his Afghanistan what ever he does, he seems obsessed by health care reform, what he is missing that when it comes to Afghanistan it not his base that will support him in Afghanistan, its Republicans, Blue Dog Democrats and Independents. The question President Obama has to ask himself, if he goes nuclear on the health care reform and pushes it through with just Democrats and burns Republicans, they can flush his Administration down the nearest singularity, inside a Black Hole when it comes to voting for more money for Afghanistan, Republicans can support Democrats who want to get out of Afghanistan. The American voter might take Obama's health care reform but they will throw him back Chicago if they think they have another Jimmy Carter in their hands. Thus does Obama get it, his best friends might not be his base if he wants to keep US presence in Afghanistan and win re-election in 2012, it might be Republicans. Lets recall when Bill Clinton lost health care reform in his first term he had to move to the centre as the Congress had gone to the Republicans. This move to the center lead to his re-election in 1996. If Obama does not move he will lose big in 210 Mid Term Congressional Elections and for re-election in 2012. Also riots on the streets would hurt UK support for the War, its already in the toilet, PM Gordon Brown can not afford to be seen supporting a Chicago type fix in Afghanistan.

Health Vote = NEW MARCH ?

The New York Times: Reports on a massive demonstration in Washington D.C against President Obama, the NYT writes the following, " A sea of protesters filled the west lawn of the Capitol and spilled onto the National Mall........... opposition to a health care overhaul............broader...........government. " Am impressed that the Liberal New York Times even reported mass demo against Obama. I guess it was to big to be called a bunch of crazies. The Liberal New York Times of course picked out those that are on the edge of the demo, of course missed Democratic scandals and of course Stalin. Lets have another mass demo when the House of Representatives vote on any Bill that is not the compromise Senate Bill that does not have the public option. On the whole support the compromise Senate Finance Bill.

Afghanistan Front News

MOD: Has released the name of the soldier killed on 9/9/09, the soldier was " Corporal John Harrison from The Parachute Regiment " Lets hope there are no more deaths this month in Afghanistan.

Lady Thatcher on ONE Germany - Cold War History

The Times: Article on the political stands of Lady Thatcher at the time of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The article notes that Lady Thatcher was not keen on a united Germany from the USSR records. It should be noted that these are copies of USSR records, to get a fair and balanced view it can be argued that historians needs the records from the archives of Downing Street and the Foreign Office. Read of the Day.