Sabotage Times, We can't Concentrate so Why Should You?Sabotage Times, We can't Concentrate so Why Should You?


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Afghanistan: The Public Must Understand The Good The British Army Has Done

by Jonathan Codd
10 November 2014 18 Comments

It's easy to be an armchair nay-sayer, but until you've experienced first hand the changes, think twice before passing judgement.

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Operation HERRICK formally drew to a close recently, and whilst troops will remain there for some time in a training capacity for the Afghan National Army (ANA) and Afghan National Police (ANP), the British Army’s role in leading combat operations has very much ended.

We’ve all read and heard in the news about the successes and failures of this campaign/conflict, and whether we have really achieved our aims in stabilising this nation, and reducing the terror threat to the UK. This is a topic that political analysts, military experts, naysayers and supporters can debate for the rest of time, but what the vast majority of them will be unable to do is to provide any kind of commentary on the real-life changes that the military has made, largely because they’re intangible or too small-scale to be worthy of public comment. That is unless, of course, you’ve spent a number of months serving there.
In which case it is likely that your perspective will be very different.

For me, entering the transitional phase in which we now find ourselves after 13 years there brought mixed emotions. I guess I’d always envisaged that after such public hype, the formal return of our troops would be met with celebration of their achievements, large-scale remembrance of the sacrifices made, relief that it’s all finally over. But as a UK citizen sat watching the news in the safety of my own home, I couldn’t help but notice how removed I felt from it all.

Watching a news report, reading articles, leaving comments on discussion forums – this is as close as most will (thankfully) ever come to being in any kind of conflict scenario. But if that isn’t testament to the lifestyle for which so many have fought and died over the last 100 years, what is? Most people take for granted the freedoms that they enjoy. They get het up about issues that they deem close to their hearts, of great importance, rarely stopping to think that were it not for the sacrifices made by others, they would not have the means to worry about such issues.

We take the technologies we use, our freedom of speech and thought, the great liberalism afforded to us by the ECHR for granted. Meanwhile, those enjoying such freedom and comfort are all too happy to sit and critique the British government’s policies and actions, luxuriating in the delightful warmth that only hindsight can provide.

Of course, I am all too aware that my own position is a biased one – both myself and my girlfriend have served in Afghanistan for a collective total of 21 months, with her completing two tours to my one. I have also served in Iraq, which whilst politically different, was actually rather similar in terms of being a serving soldier there.

The aesthetic landscape was much the same. The issues experienced by the common man were much the same – poverty, insecurity, crime, domination by those with extremist views. And the ways in which they tried, and succeeded, to kill us was again very much the same.

More…

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I return to my original point that unless you have been there, unless you have made personal sacrifices yourself, you can not possibly know much about Afghanistan or any other such place. Sitting in your armchair watching a shark stalk its prey on the Discovery channel does not give you even one iota of the experience you would feel were you to be the prey.

The fear as you wondered if this would be your final day, the sensation of the water on your skin, the smells around you, the noises. None of that is conveyed through a television screen.

Nor is the 7 months of intense dust, the constant whirring of rotor blades as serviceman after serviceman is flown out, or flown in with catastrophic injuries that will never make the news unless he dies. The inability to talk to those you love for long periods, the same food, the same often squalid living conditions, the curling smile of a local national that claims to be grateful for your help, yet the deadness in the eyes that betray his inward thoughts. Walking along wondering if your next step will be upon a hidden improvised explosive device, which will at least remove one or more of your limbs, sleeping under the stars in the cold, ‘stagging on’ with your heart pounding your chest so hard, wondering if the footsteps you can hear on the other side of the wall in the tiny checkpoint you’re stuck in belong to a person that is going to post a grenade through, or pop up and spray you with hot metal.

Everyone’s experiences of Afghanistan will be very different. Whilst there is no ‘front line soldier’ as traditionally perceived anymore, there are still infantry troops whose predominant role is to take the fight to the enemy. My role was far removed from this – yet the things I have just written about are very much my experiences. That heart pounding the chest was entirely mine, and whilst the hearts of many others will have experienced the same thing, if I really think about those nights now, the same fear creeps upon me.

When I came back from Afghanistan, I was a very angry and traumatised person. This is not something I realised until about 18 months later, but the impact my experiences had on my life were profound. I behaved out of character, I was short-tempered. I had a lot of difficulty adjusting back to civilian normality, enjoying the freedoms that I have spoken of. I felt under-appreciated, and the true scale of the non-malicious ignorance of the political commentators and naysayers hit me with full force. It was a dark place to be in.

But that is not the point of this article. The point is that unless you’ve been there, unless you’ve experienced the minutiae of life in these places, unless you’ve felt the fears yet at the same time witnessed the great deal of good that the British military has done there, you should think twice before providing comment dismissively.

Children now receive widespread education, a government is in place, people have jobs, water, warmth and food where previously there was none (unless provided by the extremists, without which they would die). Of course terrorism is still rife, of course there is corruption, of course we haven’t made it a completely safe place to be. I think we could spend a lifetime there and this would still be the case. Religious ideology rules in the Middle East, and it would take hundreds of years worth of education, experience and infrastructure to change that. And even then, just like on UK soil, you will have individuals that are simply attracted to instability and violence.

That is the way of the world.

Whatever your views, pin a remembrance poppy to your chest this week and wear it with pride. Spare a great deal of thought for the conflicts that have taken place from World War One onwards, and indeed before that, because had the individuals that gave their all for them not done so, you probably wouldn’t be able to sit in that armchair, in your comfortable clothes with your streaming internet and your inner sense of peace and comfort, wondering if that shark will get its meal.

Like so many others in parts of the world that have not been so fortunate, you’d likely still be sat in a cave, cold and worried and without a clue what to do but fight the invading foreigners that you don’t understand

Lest we forget.

Read Jonathan’s blog at Call Me Jonathan

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Harry Paterson 9:05 am, 10-Nov-2014

WW2 aside, the idea that British troops have fought for and won our freedom is not only a fallacy but an insult. In reality, armed forces are usually the enemies of freedom. As Wigan winger James McClean clearly understands; as did the invaded and subjugated millions who suffered under the jackboots of the British Empire. The same British Army went into Tonypandy ready to shoot striking miners on Churchill’s orders. They rolled their tanks down the streets of Glasgow, prepared to crush the resistance of their own people. In reality we owe our freedom to those who *opposed* the state’s armed might – the suffragettes, the Chartists and the Tolpudlle Martyrs, to name but three. Armies everywhere, our own included, are there to enforce the will of the ruling apparatus and unquestioningly line up *against* their own people when required and crush those freedoms for which you dishonestly take credit.

Andy 11:21 pm, 10-Nov-2014

@Harry, I think the author can rest his case.

Harry Paterson 10:16 pm, 11-Nov-2014

Clearly not, Andy, given that he's claiming credit, on behalf 'our boys', for our freedom. A freedom which we owe to bodies of men and women who have been in the sights of the guns of the army. There's also an appalling tone of smugness, condescension and arrogance about this piece. Haven't we done those peasant a jolly big favour? Gosh, they've got water and electricity and stuff now! OK, we drone-bombed countless weddings, funerals and sundry other civilians but hey; you can't civilise an omelette without breaking eggs, eh chaps?' He has the neck too, to talk about corruption. From a Brit??? And let's not even get onto the lies, hypocrisy and sheer history-distorting dishonesty of our nation's imperial death-cult and the shameless hi-jacking of the poppy to indoctrinate future generations of canon fodder in the Big Lie that dying for one's country is somehow noble and honourable. Appalling on every level

Andy 11:37 pm, 11-Nov-2014

I think he can.

Crusty Bufton 11:16 am, 12-Nov-2014

"you will have individuals that are simply attracted to instability and violence." That is you Harry

Harry 5:34 pm, 12-Nov-2014

And yet I'm the one *opposing* the violence and instability wreaked by illegal invasions of other countries. Nice cognitive dissonance you've got going on there, Crusty...

Harry 5:48 pm, 12-Nov-2014

I mean this: " Spare a great deal of thought for the conflicts that have taken place from World War One onwards, and indeed before that, because had the individuals that gave their all for them not done so, you probably wouldn’t be able to sit in that armchair, in your comfortable clothes with your streaming internet and your inner sense of peace and comfort, wondering if that shark will get its meal." Offensive and total bollocks. Factually and historically fucking laughable. As I keep saying, WW2 aside (which, interestingly, was preceded by the International Brigade's intervention against the fascists for which they were jailed on return to Britain! For some reason, killing Nazis then wasn't quite the noble act it came to be just three years later...), *every* single conflict the Brits have been involved in has had *nothing* to do with our freedom. Most of them were the colonial overlord crushing his colonial subjects in the most brutal fashion. *Denying* indigenous peoples the right to freedom and the right to have their country back! We were *never* under the threat of invasion or attack during *any* of the Brit military's post-WW2'counter-insurgency' campaigns. We can dismiss both the Gulf Wars and Afghanistan as the US-led imperialist bullying it was - founded on a pack of lies in two out of three of those cases. Which leaves Thatcher spurning the diplomatic solution the Yanks handed her for the Falklands invasion because she wanted the glory to win an election and Northern Ireland, which the Brits were to blame for in the first place. Show me *any* example, WW2 aside, where the Brit Army fought for, defended or preserved our freedom. Christ, doesn't anyone know an history?

Andy 6:57 pm, 12-Nov-2014

As the author says 'It's easy to be an armchair nay-sayer, but until you've experienced first hand the changes, think twice before passing judgement'.

Harry Paterson 11:23 pm, 12-Nov-2014

Andy, mate, history proves most of this article to be sentimentalised, inaccurate, dishonest and patronising bullshit. Your latest point doesn't actually address the points I made so it's a bit of a non sequitur. But I'll address it anyway... you've never actually *seen* with your own eyes the earth revolve around the sun but you believe that it does. QED.

Andy 12:42 am, 13-Nov-2014

History... I'm sure if I looked hard enough I could find a man with a different version of history to yours, one mans freedom fighter is another mans terrorist. This isn't about history Harry it's about one man saying that there was at least some positives to come out of Afghanistan but as ever you choose to berate and pour scorn because his *history* differs to yours. Quot capita tot sensus.

Jon 12:48 am, 13-Nov-2014

Sounds to me like you're sitting in a pretty comfortable armchair Harry. Spoken like a true 'man' that has never done anything but act as a keyboard warrior. Get out in the real world and get some life experience, then see if your views change. Enough said - until you've done that, your opinion is nothing more than a mealy-mouthed tantrum. Try getting shot at when you're trying to give water to a young child; try wondering if you will ever see your family again. You haven't got a clue chap.

Harry Paterson 10:10 pm, 13-Nov-2014

Oh, bollocks, Jon, with your one-dimensional machismo. So being in the army is what makes one a man, eh? Christ, there must be a lot of disappointed ladies in your life. You have absolutely no idea how much of the world I've seen, the people I've met and the circumstances in which I've found myself. Your comment, therefore, is worthless. As well as derisory. Apart from anything else, your hideously mawkish caring-macho-man-with-heart-of-gold shtick is only as valid as, let's think... oh, yes; try being a 10 year old child stabbed in cold blood by a brutal pissed-up squaddie ( http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/8933193/British-soldier-jailed-for-stabbing-10-year-old-Afghan-boy.html) Or the traumatised women gang-raped by Brit soldiers (http://www.raceandhistory.com/cgi-bin/forum/webbbs_config.pl?md=read;id=1099) or the Iraqi man repeatedly raped and mutilated by yet more of Britain's finest ( http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2009/sep/14/iraq-rape-british-soldiers-accused). The point being, we can each find individual examples og good or bad amongst soldiers; it's pointless and missed the point.This isn't about individual people, it's about *institutions* and the wider ideology that drives them. Do keep up.

Andy 11:54 pm, 13-Nov-2014

So the British Army as an institution is incapable of doing any good whatsoever. Is that what you are saying Harry? Whilst I'm here it seems you are able to dismiss comments on the basis that no one knows anything about you and yet you feel quite at home dismissing every one else's opinions without knowing anything about them.

Jon 1:40 am, 14-Nov-2014

Couldn't agree more with you Andy. What a terrible chip on the shoulder this poor soul must be carrying. I'm guessing he was laughed out of the careers office. Trolls like this will protest until they're blue in the face so I shall withdraw now, safe in the knowledge that whilst many soldiers have fought for fools like this one to have the freedom to spout off, the only wild places and circumstances he's found himself in is hungover with half a kebab down his shirt after a heavy night on the pop. Bless.

Harry Paterson 7:24 am, 14-Nov-2014

Not at all, Andy. It's not like you to make such nonsense and ridiculous leaps. No one, least of all smug and ill-informed Jon, has actually addressed any of the historical examples I've gien; instead, he's descended to personal attacks. Typical, of course, of misty-eyed soldier worshippers. As I've already mentioned, the British Army's activity since the end of WW2 all the way up to the conflicts in Europe in the 90s, have been in defence of *empire* and operations designed to *crush* independence movements and other people's quests for freedom. How on earth he can imagine that has contributed, in any way, to my freedom is a joke. And a historical lie of gargantuan proportions. Throwing civilians from rooftops in Aden (as my ex-Argyle and Southern Highlander uncle was horrified to see) or even wiping tears from their eyes, bless, as they gave local kids water, has nothing, nada, zero, feck-all to protecting or extending our freedom. I'm dismissing Jon's opinion of me because he diesn't know anything about me; he, on the other hand, typical of the brainwashed, unthinking soldier-worshipper, dismisses matters of historical record.

P 1:26 pm, 14-Nov-2014

@Andy pretty revealing your entire argument is just repeating cliches. Maybe it's because there's no way of justifying the writer's baby-killing?

Andy 2:11 pm, 14-Nov-2014

@P. Don't be a twat.

Sick Boy 3:10 pm, 1-Dec-2014

Even if you care about "children receiving education" and "people having stuff" in some godforsaken place of the world, which I don't, even then you have to ask yourself how will all that fare in a long term. Let me tell you, it will fare badly. What's brought about and maintained by violence will also go down by violence and backlash will be even worse than if nothing has been done at all. Everything "good" done in the East in the last decade at the expense (not on behalf, mind you) of Western taxpayers has already backfired tenfold, with Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism at all-time high, Islamic enclaves in all major European cities, and even a whole "terrorist state" (all states are terrorist in nature, hence quotation marks) now emerging in the region of Kurdistan, which is a DIRECT consequence of actions taken by Western armies there. Afghanistan is no different. The West is losing ground there as we speak. So, yeah, write your apologetic "liberal" articles all you want. You MIGHT have made a dozen people over there happy - for a while. Millions of miserable people to come will be a price for that. And it's all because Western culture tried to violently impose its values over peoples and regions it doesn't understand. To think our culture is somehow superior to theirs because of "humanism and education" is very, very narrow-minded, despite of what it looks like. If their culture is inferior (if at all), it will be decided through long, centuries long perhaps, process of trade and influence. You can't speed things like that up with wars. It's a contradiction in terms. You can't bring peace and prosperity with war and destruction. But you can sure enough make a lot of damage and bad blood.

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