Gordon Brown says the UK/international strategy in Afghanistan is Afghanisation of the country - does that really mean blowing up civilians?
By Matthew Champion.
There was a 'serious incident' in Afghanistan's northern provinces last night, Gordon Brown acknowledged today, when Taliban hijackers were 'intercepted'.
A very serious incident: At least 90 dead, half of them civilians. Half of them civilians.
Unfortunately this means nothing to Nato members or their allies. In the battle for the hearts and minds of the Afghan people (Brown's words, not mine) what are a few more bodies along the way?
'Nothing is more heartbreaking than meeting people who have lost loved ones,' the prime minister said at the start of a major speech justifying Britain's presence and strategy in Afghanistan.
Do you think any Nato leader has ever visited the families of any Afghans whose loved ones have been shot or blown up by coalition troops based in their country on a mandate of making the world a safer place?
Civilians becoming victims of conflict is not unique to modern warfare, but whereas in the past they were the targets of enemy action they are now nothing more than a distraction.
When the two fuel tankers were hijacked by Taliban fighters close to the border with Tajikistan last night, and when said tankers became stuck in a river, and when said Taliban began unloading the fuel to said civilians the international response was ruthless: Bomb them.
That's at least 90 people bearing the brunt of the Afghanisation of Afghanistan, but many, many more families the alliance has lost.
Nato has pledged an investigation into the reports of civilian deaths, with its general secretary admitting civilian fatalities was a 'possibility'. No one has claimed responsibility for the air strike, although suspicion falls on American troops in the region.
'A safer Afghanistan means a safer Britain,' Brown said today.
'Preventing terrorism depends on strengthening authorities in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.'
The previous attempts by international troops to bring stability in Afghanistan failed because they 'did not seek to empower Afghans themselves,' the PM went on to say.
If he, and the rest of the alliance's leaders, believes that empowering Afghans amounts to blowing them up, that killing civilians is the best example to give to the Afghan army being mentored by foreign troops, then there is little hope for ordinary Afghans and their country.
'Ours is a four-point strategy for accelerating the Afghanisation of Afghanistan,' Brown said today.
Here is a one-point strategy, which could be rolled out across the country, delivered to all foreign commanders and their troops:
Blowing people up is not the Afghanisation of Afghanistan, it is the Talibanisation.
By resorting to the base, ruthless tactics of the enemy the alliance faces only defeat, proving it has learned absolutely nothing from the lessons of history, whatever its leaders might claim.
The views expressed on inthenews.co.uk's comment pages are not necessarily those of the website or its owners.
By Matthew Champion.
There was a 'serious incident' in Afghanistan's northern provinces last night, Gordon Brown acknowledged today, when Taliban hijackers were 'intercepted'.
A very serious incident: At least 90 dead, half of them civilians. Half of them civilians.
Unfortunately this means nothing to Nato members or their allies. In the battle for the hearts and minds of the Afghan people (Brown's words, not mine) what are a few more bodies along the way?
'Nothing is more heartbreaking than meeting people who have lost loved ones,' the prime minister said at the start of a major speech justifying Britain's presence and strategy in Afghanistan.
Do you think any Nato leader has ever visited the families of any Afghans whose loved ones have been shot or blown up by coalition troops based in their country on a mandate of making the world a safer place?
Civilians becoming victims of conflict is not unique to modern warfare, but whereas in the past they were the targets of enemy action they are now nothing more than a distraction.
When the two fuel tankers were hijacked by Taliban fighters close to the border with Tajikistan last night, and when said tankers became stuck in a river, and when said Taliban began unloading the fuel to said civilians the international response was ruthless: Bomb them.
That's at least 90 people bearing the brunt of the Afghanisation of Afghanistan, but many, many more families the alliance has lost.
Nato has pledged an investigation into the reports of civilian deaths, with its general secretary admitting civilian fatalities was a 'possibility'. No one has claimed responsibility for the air strike, although suspicion falls on American troops in the region.
'A safer Afghanistan means a safer Britain,' Brown said today.
'Preventing terrorism depends on strengthening authorities in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.'
The previous attempts by international troops to bring stability in Afghanistan failed because they 'did not seek to empower Afghans themselves,' the PM went on to say.
If he, and the rest of the alliance's leaders, believes that empowering Afghans amounts to blowing them up, that killing civilians is the best example to give to the Afghan army being mentored by foreign troops, then there is little hope for ordinary Afghans and their country.
'Ours is a four-point strategy for accelerating the Afghanisation of Afghanistan,' Brown said today.
Here is a one-point strategy, which could be rolled out across the country, delivered to all foreign commanders and their troops:
- Stop blowing people up
Blowing people up is not the Afghanisation of Afghanistan, it is the Talibanisation.
By resorting to the base, ruthless tactics of the enemy the alliance faces only defeat, proving it has learned absolutely nothing from the lessons of history, whatever its leaders might claim.
The views expressed on inthenews.co.uk's comment pages are not necessarily those of the website or its owners.
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