Soldiers being killed by land mines in Afghanistan

[rov1200]

It makes dreadful reading every day you hear the news that a soldier has been blown up in a vehicle that trips the mine below. Even foot soldiers are treading on them. The solution put forward is to use more heavy armour. This is OK but they just make the mines bigger. We are told the soldiers need to get about and travel is necessary. Therefore they expect many more deaths to occur. Helicopters would be ideal but because of cost are not viable.

Would a hovercraft set off the mines from its downdraft? Obviously not useful for battle but only means of travel.

[paraffin]

Newsnight now reporting that ANOTHER 5 squaddies have been killed today by these I.E.D.'s (Improvised Explosive Devices).

[Gromit]

Hovercraft would be of no use. The IEDs would be detonated remotely.

[bazwillrun]

gordon brown is a disgrace and not fit for office, how he has the barefaced cheek to say that as a result of the war in afghanistan the uk is a safer place is beyond belief.

sadly we are losing service personnel for absolutely nothing.

remember that other piece of garbage Dr John Reid when he was defence sec. a few years ago "we are sending 5000 troops to help rebuild afghanistan".

rebuild ! a disgusting and outright lie, they were sent there because the taliban were getting back into power, not to rebuild anything

gordon brown is not even a convincing liar, we need rid of him and now !

[sqad617]

Afghanistan is the centre for Al Queda and Muslim extremists who pose a threat to innocent people by terrorism.

This is a Military offensive against the Taliban and the casualty rate is higher in an offensive action rather than a defensive tactic. If you are a member of the Armed Forces in a theatre of war you may be injured or killed and that fact is well known.

[anotheoldgit]

We have increasing deaths in Afghanistan, increasing deaths from knife crime, a flu epidemic, and a world wide recession, but the MPs still fiddle all the time.

What hope is there?

Regarding the remote controlled detonation of bombs, would it be difficult for us to find a way to electronically detonate them, once we found the method used?

[1ARMEDBANDIT]

We are told that we are fighting in Afghanistan to keep Britain safe!...Can someone tell me of any terrorist attacks aimed at Britain which have had any direct Taliban involvement?
Please don`t mention bin laden as I don`t think for one minute he really exists. He is just a propaganda puppet orchestrated by the west to fuel their justfication for the invasion.

[sqad617]

1ARMEDBANDIT....the TALIBAN have organized, allowed and encouraged the setting up of Muslim Extremist terrorist training camps.

Connection with UK terrorist atrocities? al Queda, bin Laden, Muslim fanatics, extremists.........take your pick.

[anotheoldgit]

We are told that we are fighting in Afghanistan to keep Britain safe!.

Perhaps we should look a little nearer home?
.

[rov1200]

They have littered the IEDs everywhere. Someone suggested we should attack them from the rear forcing them onto the booby traps. But you are not dealing with an Army just individuals. Also the Taliban are not Al qaeda who were more sophisticated in bomb plots and remote devices.

As AOG says remote detonation to clear them would be the ideal. The talk of sending more troops would probably result in a higher casualty rate not fewer.

[1ARMEDBANDIT]

SQAD617....Are the Taliban teaching terrorism in Afghanistan and targeting only Britain? Did they target Britain before 9/11? If not then perhaps they are targeting us in retaliation for the invasion when the then Bush/Blair empire of rightousness tried to blow them to kingdom come after finding a passport from a man who may have visited Afghanistan in the wreckage of the twin towers .... Bring the troops home and bolster the home security, we have muslim fanatics here at the moment.

The past terrorist attacks were home grown with no indication that al queda or taliban were behind them, (only guess work from the government advisers) Again implicate them to justify an invasion. (By the way, same advisers that told us Iraq had weapons of mass destruction) As for the home grown muslim fanatics, I don`t think for one minute they will cease to be if we gain the upper hand in this Afghan invasion.

This world is a big place, too big for Britain to police it, It`s about time we got selfish and looked after ourselves and our own interests. When we are put in a position where we got to fight back against a proper threat or enemy intent on harming us I for one would be on the front line. Though I honestly cannot see any sense in this Afghan invasion.

[sqad617]

It is not just Britain that is doing the policing......it is the Coalition Forces of many countries, but I agree that the U.S and the UK are at the fighting front..

Yes we do have fanatics in the UK many of them with a direct link with Afghanistan and Pakistan, so would you just pull out and let the Americans carry on "for the world?"

I don't think so.

[rov1200]

Another advanatage of using hovercraft is they need not stick to the roads but where the terrain is suitable. Remote devices would be obsolete. Where there's a will

[socket2008]

the solution is ....keep our nose out and stop keep sending men to these countries that do not concern us. if terrorists were knocking on our shores, sure, send everyone thrre to defend our country.

[tamborine]

Stop immigration from Afganistan & Pakistan, including those arriving via arranged marriages......UK being a christian ruled country is NOT conducive to islam.

[Razzle09]

Pull them out that's the answer.............We can support a country to war in much the same way as the Americans do......we don't have to sacrifice the youth of this country ...I do not condone violence in any form!

[2yorks]

Afganistan has often been invaded the British for instabnce have now invaded 4 times in 150 years, the russians once, the americans once, even the persians and alexander the great in ancient times could not hold afganistan. It is called the Graveyard of Empires. It is not so much a nation more a collection of warring tribes who fight each other has often has outsiders. Once the allies leave the puppet government will fall.