From: Adam 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/5326060.stm

"Nato chiefs are due to meet to consider committing more troops to
Afghanistan, where a British general has warned combat is "more
intense" than in Iraq."


Code words for "We need to extract the UK PBI from Iraq & this is
a good wholesome reason....go where we're most needed in the WoT" etc.

"Brigadier Ed Butler said his troops were being attacked up to a dozen
times a day but their morale remained high.

"The intensity and ferocity of the fighting is far greater than in
Iraq on a daily basis," Brig Butler told ITV News.

He said British forces had been involved in "fighting that is up close
and personal" that at times included hand-to-hand combat. "

Fix bayonets boys. I wonder when the first over run position will come. It
may only take a (un)lucky support weapons hit (mortar/rpg etc) by the
"turban team".

Heck a nuclear power with over 100 million people such as Pakistan can't
control it's own bit (southern baluchistan) but a couple of thousand UK PBI
will just meet happy villagers with whom they can repair water facilities,
build clinics etc.


Sheesh.

"Commanders on the ground had asked for several hundred additional
troops and more helicopters and airlift, he said.

"We are talking about modest reinforcements," he told reporters
at Nato European headquarters in Belgium.

His comments were echoed by Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.

"Those allies who perhaps are doing less in Afghanistan should think:
'Shouldn't we do more?' There are certainly a number of allies who can
do more," he told reporters in Brussels. "

Oh yes nothing like reports of nearly overrun outposts where it's knife
fights in the dark time to really draw in the "less bellicose"
members of NATO.

Ask for the Turkish Mil methinks. They've always seemed keen on killing
insurgents (armed or not) at close range. Then again they're being asked
for in the other conflicts as well e.g. in Lebanon & they keep
wandering into Iraq.

But somehow I can not see Belgians, Dutch, Norwegians, Danes etc being keen
on their boys being 6 inches of steel from the Turban team.

Were it cruising around in convoys looking good....yup they could do
that....but stabbing turbaned types in the throat in the dark with one's
back to the wall.......hummm.


Adam

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