Why does the UK government think it can beat the taliban with 5,700 men when Russia was defeated with 47,000?

Answer 1

That's a sodding good question mate.....There is no way the UK Army will ever defeat the Taliban.....there to committed to there cause , where our Army is just doing a job.....( be it a false one )

PS Semil makes a good point ( The French sold the Exocet missile to the Aggie's , who in turn , fired them ....at ME ...!! )

Answer 2

Someone had better start reading the history of war in Afghanistan. I could find info going back to 1500 BC. This country has been at war forever.
Muslim armies went into India through the Khyber Pass back in AD 1000 and war continued for centuries. We have the first Afghan war with the British (1839-42). In January 1842, the Afghans slaughtered 16,000 British and Indian troops as they retreated through the Khyber Pass. Then there was the second Afghan war (1878-79). In 1919, we have the third Afghan war. Basically, there was war against the British from 1930 to independence in August 1957.
Most of us know what happened to the Russians. The second biggest superpower in the world left with its tail between its legs. I must add that the Afghans had a lot of help from the Americans.
This country will never be conquered, and the warlords will not stand for foreigners telling them what to do. I don’t know what the solution is, and I do feel deeply sorry for the poor Afghan people. But I don’t think that the country is worth one Canadian life. Everything will be as it is 20, 30, 40, maybe 100 years from now.
I am not anti-military and I support our troops 100 per cent. We brought 4 more Canadian dead home yesterday

Answer 3

I don't think it really matters if any government 'thinks' they can beat the Taliban or not.

This war isn't on human rights or liberty or any of the values you and I hold above all others.

This war is about money. The war machine makes weapons, and all the other support services and products required. The so-called democratic governments find a reason to go to war, in the name of peace no doubt (that's the biggest laugh of all). So these govts and companies get richer and the lives of so many people are destroyed (on both sides, the innocent families, the soldiers of both armies, no one wins in war).

It's all so sad and to be lied to again and again about what it's all for. This is just too much of a joke and we're living it every day.

Answer 4

Don't take any notice of Micheal E he is too old to remember, and anyway it was the Wolf's armoury.
He had twin daggers and our boys don't have that luxury.
Hey Micheal! What about lending them Sapper?

Our soldiers are lucky to have one of everything they are supposed to have, without those items other armies dish out.
Discarded Japanese boots were more fitting to the clime than thick leather ones in my days.

But seriously it is a male thing.
Thatcher got her soldiers out of the box for half a good reason.
Blair didn't want to be outdone so he invented reasons and now he has created a real one and he doesn't know what to do.

Brown has the cash and our lads are made to dash- around in circles making out they are twice as many.
It must be like shooting ducks for the Taliban.
You can thank God for the British Army.
The State never does.

PS. I see there are a few old squaddies on line. How about starting a movement to tell these clowns up there how it is?
It's about time we stopped suffering in silence for all sorts of things.

Answer 5

Your getting into a numbers game rather than actual fact. 1) The tailban are largely defeat already. They lost control of the govt. Have few fighters, and zero support from overseas & little from the locals. 2) The Uk is part of a larger Nato force. They are not acting alone. 3) Define beat? If you mean kill every last man, that is hard to do in any war. In terms of strategic significance? They are a few hundred hardcore holdouts who have nowhere else to go other than Hell or Gitmo. Trying to compare this to the Soviet invasion is, apples & oranges.

Answer 6

As the ex-Sarge 3 Para said / no one will beat them! In addition as also said, the Brit Army were run off with only 1 survivor allowed to return to India in the late 1800's to emphasise that very point. Today, with the retraction of the British military, its days of grandeur and imperialism are over. Unfortunately, Prime Minister Blair never read history, just like the period of the African Zulu Wars, hes out of touch, having fabricated evidence to go to War against Iraq as did his predecessor over Zulu Land!

Answer 7

It's not possible to beat the Taliban with so few troops.The UK couldn't beat a relatively small number of Irish terrorists in 30 years.The reason is simple,the enemy does not wear an identifiable uniform,nor does he meet you on the field of battle,you could walk past him in the street & not know it,but he would know you because of your uniform.They fight on their own terms,no worries about popular opinion,the Geneva Convention,or any rules of war.They can strike when & where they please.

Answer 8

The Mujahideen defeated the Soviets with massive amounts of training and funding from the United States and Pakistan. And other nations too.

Answer 9

We had the sense to align ourselves with the northern alliance. So Afghans defeated the Taleban, we didn't have to.

If the US had the sense to align themselves with the Shiites the war in Iraq would have been over three years ago,, but then, Iraq would now be part of Iran.

Answer 10

The British are better trained then the Russians so the British can get the job done with fewer men and dont forget about the allies alongside britain