Where are we on Afghanistan?

There is no such thing as a  'training/non-combat' role, when you have an unstable guerilla war with; surprise night attacks on defenseless schools, hospitals, institutions and individuals; random sniper fire, bombs and suicide bombers. Its kill or be killed. Be armed and respond instantly to attack. That’s the reality. There is no safe, ‘behind the wire’ area. That is an out and out lie.

Going to war or remaining in a war zone is the most crucial decision a country can make. It’s the lives of our young people who trust us not to send them to death or mutilation without due process and only when it is the last resort in defense of our country. Yet the media conveniently ignore the fact; we do Not have a 'duly elected' government, i.e. the Conservatives. They did Not win a majority mandate to govern independently. We have by definition a 'hung parliament' with a 'minority government' who may govern only at the discretion of each vote in our House of Commons requiring for all decisions - a clear 'Majority'.  That IS the principle of democracy, in case we’ve forgotten.

As for creating democracy in Afghanistan and supporting women’s rights. That was not the original mission. It was to capture Bin Laden.  We have absolutely no right, nor the where-with-all, to invade and occupy countries to force-fit democracy. (Should we then invade China, Saudi Arabia and every other country that tramples on human rights and is non-democratic?  A ludicrous proposition.) In Afghanistan we are supporting the 2nd most corrupt regime in the world. To curry favour to the U.S. (whose policies are always driven by the Industrial Military Complex) and to act-out some kind of group ‘macho’ ego-trip to prove we as a country are ‘tough’ and reliable.

In the end you get the government you deserve. And our complacency and self-imposed gross ignorance ensure that we likely will never have true democracy nor equal rights for women in our own country, let alone in some God-forsaken lawless mountain desert dotted with medieval warring tribes and drug-war lords.