The Afghan Dilemma

By William Silver

The dignified people of Wootton Bassett reflect the sorrow of the nation as coffins return from the theatre of war and they salute on our behalf all those who die and are injured in the service of the nation.

As a father of two teenage children I must admit to increasing horror at the number of soldiers’ deaths in Afghanistan, and particularly at the number of young men under the age of 25 who are being killed. This is of course an emotional reaction, maybe even irrational, but it has led me to have serious discussions about what our forces are in Afghanistan for.

If our forces were there to eradicate the poppy crop, which has done so much to contribute to western society’s breakdown and criminality, that would be worthy of our full support, so long as there were a simultaneous strategy to support the development of Afghan agriculture, and alternative economic programmes to replace the poppy. But is there such a programme in force?

If they were there to destroy the network of terrorist training bases who threaten the West, that might reasonably be supportable too, even if only in a self-interested fashion. At the same time the recent support given by Pakistan to the assortment of bandits and gangsters in Afghanistan and the Tribal Areas of the North West Frontier – merely to keep their influence out of Pakistan though we can see that isn’t working – must be curtailed effectively. But is this on the agenda?

If there were more than 8 Chinook helicopters to the 9,000 British troops in Afghanistan, if the ‘armoured’ vehicles being bought from America to replace inadequate troop carriers were good enough for our troops (even though they have been rejected by the US army as being not good enough), we would no doubt think that the Government wholeheartedly supported the purpose and single-mindedly drove this mission without looking like bystanders. In the pursuit of the political demands placed upon the troops it should surely supply them with the equipment they require to carry out the mandated political task effectively, expeditiously and relatively safely.

But the bloody price for imposing western-style democracy, universal education and suffrage might not be supported with such equanimity, for the cost – in other people’s childrens deaths – is high, given the tribalism that rules Afghanistan and has done for centuries. In 100 years of imperialist military adventures, Britain has never won a war in Afghanistan. Russia, with an even bigger force, lost in Afghanistan too.

It is the nature of our fellow citizens to stand shoulder to shoulder against a common enemy – and no doubt there is talk of the ‘Dunkirk’ spirit – but how can our troops fight against an enemy in front of them with what appears to be a lack of support from behind?

It is a completely hideous situation, a reprehensible legacy of Bush and Blair, but it appears that the end is not in sight and might not be for some time, if ever.

How can the Government retrieve this situation or find the means to call the end to this war, which shows every sign of being unwinnable?