More troops? Don't hold your breath

In reply to the direct question from visiting Defence Secretary Ainsworth "What is your top desire from right here at the chalkface (sic) - what would you have more of today?", Staff Sergeant Kim Hughes of 11 Regiment EOD replied: "more troops on the ground".

The apparently surprised Defence Secretary asked: "People?". Staff Sgt Hughes replied: "Absolutely, more troops." He went on: "If you give us more troops, we can form a counter-IED taskforce to train ground troops better." And consequently reduce injuries and save lives.

That British forces in Afghanistan are stretched and that ISAF numbers need to be increased has been shouted by frontline soldiers into the ears of politicians for months. But little has so far been forthcoming. Ainsworth is flogging a dead horse when he says that we've got to get our European allies to do their share; they clearly have no intention of honouring their NATO commitments.

Today former CGS General Sir Richard Dannatt has accused Gordon Brown of refusing the military's requests for major troop reinforcement. The General says that sInce the beginning of the year the Army has been advising that 2,000 extra troops need to be sent out to Afghanistan but this advice has been repeatedly ignored. Gordon Brown, however, has denied the General's claims - now, whose word would you believe?

Newly-appointed CGS General Sir David Richards has also backed calls for significant reinforcements in Afghanistan to allow hard-pressed coalition forces to dominate the ground more and reverse the spread of Taliban influence. He told the Sunday Telegraph more troops would allow the coalition to 'start winning the psychological battle' for the support of ordinary Afghans.

Let's hope that Ainsworth and Brown will heed the advice of Kim Hughes and David Richards and actually do something about it.

AOL: Hero soldier asks for more troops
BBC: PM 'refused extra Afghan troops'

Christopher Reynolds - übersniper

Corporal Christopher Reynolds, 3 SCOTS The Black Watch, notched up the longest kill in Afghanistan when he shot a Taliban commander over a mile away (1.15 miles)!

Cpl Reynolds had lain in wait for three days on a shop roof before taking out the terrorist chief called Mula. As well as distance, he had to allow for trajectory, wind and temperature before he squeezed the trigger; his gun scope was actually aiming at the top of a doorway when he fired.

His bullet hit the target in the chest. "He had been given a lead sleeping tablet. I was quite proud of that shot - it is the longest recorded kill in Afghanistan", said Cpl Reynolds. His mate said: "'He did a top job that day - but we are all sick about him going on about it and telling us what a great shot he is."

Bloody good shot, sir!

The Mail: British sniper describes moment he shot Taliban commander... from TWO KILOMETRES away

2 Mercian: Life next to the edge

For a good account of what its like for the guys of the 2nd Battalion, the Mercian Regiment stuck out at a Forward Observation Base in the wilds of Helmand, read Colour Sergeant Mike Saunders' post on Frontline Bloggers

R.i.P Lance Corporal Kieron Hill from 2Mercian who was killed yesterday in Afghanistan.

'Calibrate expectations', 'kinetic' , 'civilian stabilisation' - newspeak on the NW Frontier

Some of the words quoted in a report from the frontline in today's Sunday Herald sound more as if they should have been spoken by a nuLabour spin-doctor rather than by a senior commando in the middle of a warzone.
But whatever the words used, this report from the Sunday Herald's correspondent at FOB Inkerman (or FOB Incoming as it's more affectionally known) gives a stark account of what daily life is like for the guys at the spearhead of the war on terror.

At 24, L/Cpl Rory Ottway says he is "quite old compared to most of the lads"...... "During one operation our section swept round and came up on the Taliban by an irrigation ditch, and one of them stuck his head out from behind a wall to take a burst," remembers Ottway. "Some of our snipers managed to get him though," he added, almost as an afterthought.

"What impresses me most about the lads is that one minute they are out there searching for weapons, the next they are talking politely to local people, and then again within an instant they can be in a firefight or combat situation."

A simple wooden cross stands at the top of a pile of stones. On one side in a small concrete alcove, a few brass plates are inscribed with the names of the fallen. Men from the Royal Anglian and Parachute Regiments, the Grenadier Guards and the Royal Marines. All were young men whose lives were lost a long way from home in a bleak, unremitting land, against an uncompromising foe.

One can only guess at the extent to which those of us who are fortunate enough never to have been in places like Forward Operating Base Inkerman, can truly gauge the nature of their sacrifice.

Sunday Herald: Target - The Taliban

4 LANCS - A day in the Life - the TA in Kabul

An article in today's MoD Defence News gives us an insight into the work of 34 TA soldiers from 4th Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment during their deployment in Kabul.

Kingsman Jonny Wynn, aged 24, a forklift driver from Carlisle, said: "The best part of the tour is the patrols on foot, meeting people. You feel appreciated as the locals all say that seeing us on patrol keeps the insurgents and the local criminals away from their homes. Us Brits are one of the few nations that patrol on foot here and I can see why we do - you learn a lot more from the locals and they respect you a lot more for it."

And we respect you guys too!

Link> MoD Defence News: TA soldiers in Kabul - A day in the life

The Mercian Regiment: Operation Pechtaw

The Guardian in its "Military" section provides a blow-by-blow account of the ambush and subsequent battle which took place in the Garmsir area of Helmand province on 7th September 2007. The interactive presentation has commentary from the guys of 2nd Battalion the Mercian Regiment which, with the help of maps and other graphics, vividly describes what took place on that night and how two of their number, Private Johan Botha and Sergeant Craig Brelsford lost their lives.

Link> The Guardian: Battle at Garmsir

Coldstream Guards in action - MoD PR success

It's good to see that the Ministry of Defence has started publishing detailed accounts of what British troops are doing on the ground in Afghanistan and Iraq. Not only are these reports interesting in themselves, they also enable us to appreciate the work the guys are doing and what they are actually achieving out there. The British media tends to focus on the doom and gloom stuff and skirts round or ignores the good things that are being accomplished and the successes that are being won.
This sort of positive coverage coming from the MoD can only serve to improve the public's perception of the Armed Forces, value what the guys are doing and galvanise support behind them.

Link> MoD: Coldstream Guards take on the Taliban in Helmand's Green Zone: Part 1
Link> MoD: "It's a game of cat and mouse" - Coldstream Guards take on the Taliban: Part 2

"Morale is most high when they get back from fighting the Taliban," concluded Maj Charles. "When you watch a patrol coming in, there's a big smile on everyone's faces. It's what they trained for and they really love it."

Operation Ghartse Dagger - Royal Marines 40 Commando in Helmand

Members of Bravo Company, 40 Commando have recently taken part in a massive operation which pitched 600 commandos against Taleban insurgents in the Upper Sangin Valley area, Helmand.
The operation was designed to deny the Taliban a possible safe haven and to prevent them regaining the ability to mount attacks against Sangin, which has seen considerable redevelopment since security improved under the Royal Marines. Bravo Company hoped to build on the success of Operation Ghartse Spike, in which 40 Commando Royal Marines had conducted medical facilities, dental clinics and engineering work across northern Helmand Province to help local people rebuild their communities.

Link> RN Live: Marines Stab at Taliban Heartlands