| Submit your comments on this article | |
| Afghanistan | |
| The view from Britain: We may be starting to win the war | |
| 2010-12-28 | |
| War in Afghanistan: A 'breeze of change' blows in Helmand As British troops spend their 10th Christmas in Afghanistan, Thomas Harding reports on growing signs of success in the fight against the insurgency. This is the 10th Christmas that UK forces have spent looking out on to Afghanistan's seemingly untamed landscape. But while no one is clamouring to say it – there have been too many false dawns – there is a feeling in the air that, as yet another year of the campaign comes to a close, a corner has been turned. Despite 2010 being the worst year for Nato fatalities, with 705 dead, the casualty rate in the last six months has dropped – and this with the "surge" of an extra 30,000 American troops. In the British sector of central Helmand, the number of deaths since July has fallen to 38, compared with 76 in the same period last year. Commanders are understandably reticent about trumpeting success in Helmand but they are getting close enough to whisper phrases such as "irreversible gains" and "unstoppable momentum". They also mention "virtuous circles", one of which will become apparent in early spring with the next poppy harvest. If it is like last year's low yield – due in part to the farmers' fear of eradication, which led them to harvest too early – then there will be less money for the insurgents. That means fewer guns, bombs and hired foot-soldiers, which in turn means a less cowed population who will be more inclined to believe Nato's promises of security. Helmand now has 30,000 troops where there were just 3,000 in 2006. This means that ground being taken is being held. A single platoon can now guard a village of 800; soldiers and villagers will get to know each other's faces and names, bonds are built and the locals point out where bombs have been hidden or inform when outsiders appear. Clearly, problems will arise that could undo the progress made, but there are signs of confidence creeping into the local population – enough for some intriguing requests. "The elders have asked for a fitness centre," a political adviser reports, to great mirth from the men of 3rd Bn The Parachute Regiment at their headquarters outside the flourishing village of Char-e-Anjir. "A sure sign of middle-class progress," their urbane commanding officer Lt Col James Coates suggests. "They could come here if they want." There is more laughter at the thought of the locals using the Paras' dumb-bells, running machines and exercise bikes. The Taliban who have found themselves in the Paras' area of operations in northern Nad-e-Ali, a place that was previously their stronghold, have been subjected to a new battle tactic this year that has hit them hard. In the first few years of the Helmand deployment, when numbers were few, there was an over-reliance on airstrikes, which sometimes led to civilian casualties; as a result, a doctrine of "courageous restraint" was introduced – not returning fire if there was a risk of injuring civilians – but there was unease among soldiers about the casualties among their own number that this caused, so now there is "precision strike". With the help of advanced surveillance techniques, commanders are able to pinpoint and follow Taliban leaders and their cohorts to build up a picture of daily habits; they can then strike when they need to. The method is precise and "collateral" damage is kept to a minimum. In one incident, I watched at least 15 Taliban eliminated by two missiles and some cannon fire sent from an Apache helicopter, along with a few rounds of small arms fire from the advancing Paras. No wonder, then, that the intelligence intercepts hint at an enemy reluctant to fight. "We have to get more men," we heard one Taliban commander say as we patrolled north of the village of Washiran. "Hurry up and get ready," he urged. "I can't, I'm cleaning my gun," a foot-soldier replied. Although the SAS and other special forces have been eliminating insurgent commanders on an "industrial scale", killing is not the sole point of the exercise. Precision strike is also slowly winning over civilians, who are beginning to understand the efforts made to avoid unnecessary deaths. A greater understanding of the insurgency means "we can make sure we are fighting the right people", says Lt Col Coates.
| |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #1 BRIT TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN versies * FREEREPUBLIC > [UK]CHISTMAS BOMB PLOT: NINE MEN REMANDED OVER PLAN TO "BLOW UP BIG BEN + WESTMINSTER ABBEY", + other high-profile targets. Methinks its more correct the "UK JIHAD" has only begun. YOOHOO, ROYALS - QUEEN LIZ + PRINCE + KATE MIDDLETON, Etal. - I'M A'LOOKIN AT YOU. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2010-12-28 00:32 |