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We are winning against the Taliban, insists Army chief
Nicholas Cecil, Chief Political Correspondent09.07.09
A British Army chief today insisted his troops are “hour by hour” winning the battle against the Taliban despite growing questions over the military campaign.
Brigadier Tim Radford, commander of Task Force Helmand, spoke after Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg today warned that Britain should either pour thousands more troops into Afghanistan or pull out. Brig Radford is leading Operation Panther's Claw, targeting the Taliban in the central Helmand river valley in southern Afghanistan.
He spoke in the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah, after visiting the frontline of the offensive, praising British, US and Afghan soldiers.
Brig Radford said: “They are fighting hard out there, with quite extraordinary skill and courage. Hour by hour and day by day, they can feel they are winning.”
At the same time, 4,000 US marines have flooded into the province to clear the southern part of the valley. Mr Clegg backed the UK's military campaign but argued that British troops are being put in the “worst of all worlds” by lack of equipment, including helicopters, and of a proper political strategy.
Calling for an overhaul of the Government's plans, Mr Clegg told BBC radio: “You can't fight a war by muddle. You have either got to do it properly or not do it at all.”
Seven deaths in as many days brought the British military death toll in Afghanistan to 176 since 2001. Mr Clegg added: “We have got to show that their sacrifices have not been made in vain.” A soldier who died in a bomb blast on Tuesday near Gereshk in Helmand province was named today as Trooper Christopher Whiteside, 20, of The Light Dragoons.
Military chiefs have reportedly called for 2,000 more troops to be deployed, but Gordon Brown has limited the increase to about 700 being sent in temporarily.
Reader views (6)
every soldier that is killed in Iraq and A'stan have died for nothing as we will lose these wars and they will have been forgotten, how many remember the name of the first soldier to be killed in Iraq or A'stan - even their own commanders have forgotten them as they were just used for cannon fodder for political purposes only, i pity the soldiers as they are nothing more then that and unfortunately they are faced with either accepting their role in this debacle or be jailed for desertion.
Any one with an ounce of intelligence can see that A'stan Talibans can never be defeated just check this regions history, all conquerors and occupiers eventually leave with little or nothing to show for their efforts except the thousands of grieving widows and families of dead soldiers - it is so sad .
- Ronald Macdonald, Los Angeles USA
I wonder if Nick Clegg bothered to talk to anyone before making the statements he did?
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
So, Graham, your answer to the Taliban running a regime that harbours fanatic Islamic fundamentalistists who export their all-or-nothing religious views and attendant violence and all that comes with it everywhere there are Muslims, is to hide behind the English Channel and hope they will go away? You think there's a better way to eventually stop the export of opium that brought millions into the Taliban/Afghan economy? Or perhaps you would advocate yet another failed international sanctioning of the country, financially and otherwise? Have any such EVER succeeded when the nation in question can be exploited for political gain by opponents of the UK and others?
The soldiers sent to Afghanistan are doing their job! That is the reality of the situation. No one can say that everything they are there for is above board and squeaky clean. Unfortunately, LIFE doesn't fit within those parameters either.
As I've said elsewhere, you don't win wars. You stop others from thinking they have won.
- Rogan, Irving
Try as you might,you'll never beat suicide bombers,they're fanatics and play by their own rules.
- Steve, London
Winning against the Taliban? I don´t think so. How many years have we been fighting the Taliban now? If we were ever going to beat them, surely we would have done so by now. No matter how many Taliban are killed, there always seem to be more to take their place. I fear this may become a never-ending war which we can never win.
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands
"...but Gordon Brown has limited the increase to about 700 being sent in temporarily."
Whether a true reflection or not, this could easily be seen as the PM limiting the number of extra troops in order to limit the criticism of his having troops over there at all; of endangering soldier's lives for political expediency.
These are military professionals. They deserve a little more respect from those who sent them there to do a job.
- Rogan, Irving
