The post you are reporting:
If we stay we need to start doing the right things right. We also need to remember that this is a UN mandated operation and as such has a legitimacy that the Iraqi actions did not.
There are 3 things that were promised would be done as part of this campaign, firstly take on the Taliban and neutralise them, secondly development work in towns and villages to improve their lot and thirdly train up and develop the Afghan Army and Police so they can progressively take over from the Allied forces. Sadly, it is clear from those on the ground that we are only just about doing the first one. The development effort is frankly non existent and lip service is being paid to the third.
We need to examine why this is the case.
Part of the problem is lack of government commitment and support for our armed forces, resulting in them struggling to take on and push back the Taliban due to lack of equipment or the right sort of equipment etc.
This lack of commitment has impacted on the developmental works, as has the US desire to eradicate poppy and cannabis fields as part of the campaign; a well intentioned but poorly thought out action that does little to reduce the opium and hash coming out of Afghanistan but has massive local negative impact on farm incomes, leading to rural poverty etc. The western allies need to be providing alternatives to the poppy and cannabis crops and providing income support whilst farmers change, as well as providing other essentials like equipment, fertilizers etc.
Finally, much greater effort and funding needs to be put into the Afghani police and military in terms of training, uniforms, equipment and pay as well as ensuring that they are as apolitical as possible to ensure that as organisations they have the greatest chance of acceptance by the ordinary Afghani people.
Sadly if we do not sort all of these things, this will end the same way the Soviet action ended and previous British interventions ended - abject failure.
