Lapdog or what?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-116520 4/Extra-2-000-British-troops-sent-fight-Afghan istan-Taliban-believed-plotting-fresh-attacks- West.html

It looks as if I was right when I suggested in an earlier post, that when Brown went over to Washington, his present for the new President would be his box of soldiers.

Downing Street has been involved in discussions to boost troop numbers after efforts to persuade other Nato countries to contribute failed.

Why do we volunteer more troops when other NATO countries continue to shirk their duties?

[JockSporran]

I suggest Brown wants to keep in with the USA in hopes that the USA will help us out financially when the credit crunch 'blows over'. The UK and USA have strong economic ties, so it all comes back to money in the end. If it risks a cost in human lives, 'so be it' is the UK government attitude.

[rov1200]

I just don't get it!

If it has now been established the HQ and ringleaders of the Taliban are in the border area of Pakistan why are our troops fighting in wasteland or no mans land knocking out the foot soldiers. Why don't we all converge on the border areas and kill the snake at the head so the supply of expertise and weaponry from Al Qaeda and the Taliban are neutralized?

[Twenty20]

Because the nature of the terrain makes it difficult to fight a conventional war there. It's been tried before and failed. That's why these people hide out in this area.

[anotheoldgit]

No I believe the real reason is that we might upset Pakistan.

We could easily bomb the Taliban into extinction if our planes were allowed into Pakistan airspace.

[Kromovaracun]

We could easily bomb the Taliban into extinction if our planes were allowed into Pakistan airspace.

You mean like the sterling success American drones have had?

If we just marched into Pakistan, it would be a godsend for the insurgents. Support for them among Pakistanis would skyrocket. Counter-insurgencies are very different from 'wars' - if you use conventional warfare against them, they invariably multiply. They're more like incredibly intensive policing and development operations.

Progress in getting at the taliban in the FATA needs co-operation from Pakistan. Unfortunately, the Pakistani govt at the minute is incredibly unstable and Pakistani's have other things on their minds.

Why do we volunteer more troops when other NATO countries continue to shirk their duties?

A good question, other NATO members should definitely contribute more, but be careful of thinking of NATO as nonexistant - the Canadians, for instance, have done plenty of good work.

On the other hand, though, remember that this was essentially an Anglo-American war to start with. Plenty of people feel their countries have been dragged in.

[Quinlad]

"It looks as if I was right when I suggested...."

I just love the way you're so like Alan Partridge without even realising it.