« where do government websites go when they die... | Main | John McDonnell MP: Another World Is Possible »

July 10, 2006

"Taleban 'energised' by UK troops": back to the future in Afghanistan?

UK troops deployed to assist with 'development' in the South of Afghanistan are currently encountering much more violence than expected. The UK Defense Secretary Des Browne has acknowledged that their presence has "energised" the Taliban resistance.

I've been reading and writing about the anti-Marxist insurgency which removed the Soviets from Afghanistan, and there's a definite sense of deja vu. For example, if you look at some of the late warlord Ahmed Massoud's remarks about how he was able to fight the Soviets - picking the time and place of the fight, using Afghanistan's geography to assist in combat etc. - there's definite echoes of what insurgents today are doing to ISAF forces. Insurgents are currently able to engage UK forces in relatively heavy conflict - taking advantage of the UK lack of air support in order to fight sustained battles. When additional support is provided to troops in Afghanistan, this is likely to change - but, as when fighting the Soviets, it is likely that the insurgents will be able to adjust their tactics accordingly.

I keep being reminded of something Richard Clarke said in Against All Enemies. After the Soviet defeat “[s]ome Afghans and some Arab fighters pondered what you could do with money, Korans and a few good weapons. You could overthrow an infidel government. More importantly, you could destroy a superpower.”

Posted by jon_mendel at July 10, 2006 11:37 AM