UK military deaths in Afganistan hit 100

[trackend]

The announcement of three soldiers killed in Afganistan by a suicide bomber brings the toll to 100 deaths since the onset of hostilities, all three came from 2nd battalion Parachute Regiment based at Colchester,Essex.
(my local barracks)

BBC NEWS | UK | Brown in tribute to Afghan dead

[Kruska]

That is very sad news. I just hope that all of these politicians involved recognize the toll that their ongoing discussions and unwillingness to cooperate has caused so far.

Regards
Kruska

[trackend]

It is believed by some that the Taliban wont be beaten, their power base has been so disrupted that they cannot achieve the aims they want, and by constantly being on the run no coherance of power for them will be possible. Unable to take on the forces ranged against them head to head IED's and suicide bombers are the tactics becoming more commonly used .

[Kruska]

To me the whole situation is very much Vietnam. Most of the local people do not really like us, but for business we are just perfect. The Afghan national security forces are IMO useless - totally corrupt and unwilling, the Afghan national army – corrupt in the higher ranks and very little corruption in the lower ranks due to their poverty striken backgrounds and therefore islamic tradition and traditionally still not free of tribal alliances and preferences.

Since we and even Mr. Ex. Chairmen Hamid Karzai can’t depend on them, we need to stay there for how long? Another 10 years?
RC/N and parts of RC/C can be considered quite save (about 15% of the country) RC/E, S and W are more or less not under control not to mention safe. The moment we would withdraw it wouldn’t even take 3 month for a total collapse of what ISAF has achieved since 2001/02, just like South Vietnam.

General Abdul Rahim Wardak now Defense Minister looks European, try’s to act like on but he is IMO on the same level as Gen. Nguyen Van Thieu, resting solely on his Armed Forces and mostly on ISAF, distant to his own people and culture.

Regards
Kruska

[pbfoot]

Originally Posted by Kruska

To me the whole situation is very much Vietnam. Most of the local people do not really like us, but for business we are just perfect. The Afghan national security forces are IMO useless - totally corrupt and unwilling, the Afghan national army – corrupt in the higher ranks and very little corruption in the lower ranks due to their poverty striken backgrounds and therefore islamic tradition and traditionally still not free of tribal alliances and preferences.

Since we and even Mr. Ex. Chairmen Hamid Karzai can’t depend on them, we need to stay there for how long? Another 10 years?
RC/N and parts of RC/C can be considered quite save (about 15% of the country) RC/E, S and W are more or less not under control not to mention safe. The moment we would withdraw it wouldn’t even take 3 month for a total collapse of what ISAF has achieved since 2001/02, just like South Vietnam.

General Abdul Rahim Wardak now Defense Minister looks European, try’s to act like on but he is IMO on the same level as Gen. Nguyen Van Thieu, resting solely on his Armed Forces and mostly on ISAF, distant to his own people and culture.

Regards
Kruska

i personally attach some blame to the limp dicked countries that belong to NATO and run and hide at the sound of fire. The Dutch, US, UK , Australia and Canada aren't in this group

[Kruska]

Are you trying to provoke someone or a country in specific? Anyway it’s the smart guy’s who duck, only the dumb ones will stand upright.

Regards
Kruska

[trackend]

Bad post kruska
That intimates the guys risking their necks are dumb. I suspect you did'nt mean it that way but it reads really badly. Please be carefull what you post theres a lot of guys on here who would get right pissed off at a remark like that. I'm one of them.

[Kruska]

Originally Posted by trackend

Bad post kruska
That intimates the guys risking their necks are dumb. I suspect you did'nt mean it that way but it reads really badly. Please be carefull what you post theres a lot of guys on here who would get right pissed off at a remark like that. I'm one of them.

Why so hard to understand? If I (who happened to be in the Bundeswehr) hear the sound of fire, I will definatly duck and not stand upright to listen.

I didn't say that those who run away are smart, did I?

But my country is missing on pbfoot's endorsed list, so he is implying very very clearly that the Germans are cowards and run away at the sound of fire. So the only one who has a reason here to be pissed of is ME.

Regards
Kruska

[starling]

yes.it seems to me that only a few countries are willing to put their soldiers in the field to fight these murdering terrorists.do not forget 9/11 or the london bombings.yours,starling.

[The Basket]

Originally Posted by Kruska

Why so hard to understand? If I (who happened to be in the Bundeswehr) hear the sound of fire, I will definatly duck and not stand upright to listen.

I didn't say that those who run away are smart, did I?

But my country is missing on pbfoot's endorsed list, so he is implying very very clearly that the Germans are cowards and run away at the sound of fire. So the only one who has a reason here to be pissed of is ME.

Regards
Kruska

I think we all know that the Germans are not cowards. Well proven on that score. Some of the best wore the iron cross.

But to say that brave men died because of stupidity is not only crossing the line but vomiting all over it too.

It is difficult to duck from a suicide bomber.

[pbfoot]

Originally Posted by Kruska

Why so hard to understand? If I (who happened to be in the Bundeswehr) hear the sound of fire, I will definatly duck and not stand upright to listen.

I didn't say that those who run away are smart, did I?

But my country is missing on pbfoot's endorsed list, so he is implying very very clearly that the Germans are cowards and run away at the sound of fire. So the only one who has a reason here to be pissed of is ME.

Regards
Kruska

Not calling the troops cowards but I disagree with the policy of letting other nations tote the burden and it has been widely remarked on here in the various media .

[trackend]

Please guys if you want a slanging match go for it elsewhere.
we are going too far off thread

To the fallen

[Kruska]

In 1955 Germany became a NATO member and as such was given the right to set up an Army. In memory of the 2nd WW, however, the German Army was not allowed to operate outside NATO territory; this is therefore also a part of the German constitution. Within UN missions the Bundeswehr was only allowed a humanitarian – non combat option during peace keeping missions.

Imagine during Somalia, only the officers were allowed to carry live ammo for a P-1 (Pistol) upon the Bundeswehr units leaving the camp for its logistic missions.

In order to change certain parts of the constitution such as deployment of Armed Forces the parliament needs a 68+% vote, how to get this kind of a majority in a democratic environment?

In order to evade the constitution the former government simply acknowledged the NRF regulation in views to non combat activities of the Bundeswehr. Now since 2006 the NRF –ISAF regulation has been amended with the following:
The usage of weapons can also be deployed and called upon in order to support attacked members of ISAF or NRF.

However the permitted territory of deployment for the Bundeswehr on behalf of the German and Afghan governments and ISAF are only in RC/N of Afghanistan. So if British or Canadian ISAF forces are attacked in the RC/S, the Bundeswehr ISAF unit would not be allowed to assist – move in - since it is restricted only to RC/N. Despite being classified as a safe area so far 25 German soldiers lost their lives.

Money and contribution:

Germany had to spend (and is still spending) about 1000 billion Euro to restructure former East – Germany, it has received nothing from outside, the only “contribution” from NATO was that the Defense Budget was allowed to be lowered by about 6 billion euro per year since 1991.
Therefore the defense budget is not able to maintain an effective Bundeswehr at all.

My last former unit the DSL & DSO = Division Special Operations is at maximum at a manpower strength of 12000 soldiers (planed was 27000 in 2 divisions) and it is the only unit of the entire Bundeswehr that is equipped to a standard that allows it to participate in UN and NRF missions. At average not even a 2000 men are left in Germany – imagine 80% of the total USMC strength outside the US in UN or NRF missions.

As for pbfoot’s endorsement list I just want to say the following: It is absolutely not tolerable IMO to present a hit list in regards to whatever pbfoot had in mind, why he did it, I do not know, but I also do not think that he thought it over thoroughly.

Look at the loss and contingent strength of the countries, e.g. Denmark or Italy or France or Germany or Spain and tell me why Australia, or Holland is named and the others are not. This kind of “list” is insulting and beyond any logic, respect and attitude towards dead soldiers of whoever’s country involved in ISAF.

Regards
Kruska

[Kruska]

Originally Posted by trackend

Please guys if you want a slanging match go for it elsewhere.
we are going too far off thread

To the fallen

No sorry trackend, not IMO

This thread "your thread" is about fallen UK soldiers in Afghanistan (ISAF soldiers).

Regards
Kruska

[trackend]

Yes Sorry Kruska IMO it is
regards
trackend (ex RAR)