Our Vietnam

[Phil D. Rolls]

As it is looking increasingly like we are losing the war in Afghanistan, does anyone else think that we are in a similair situation to the USA in the 60s and 70s, regarding Vietnam.

You sir, third row back with the BHS pullover (I'm sorry, I'm not allowed to say you are black)...

[--------]

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As it is looking increasingly like we are losing the war in Afghanistan, does anyone else think that we are in a similair situation to the USA in the 60s and 70s, regarding Vietnam.

You sir, third row back with the BHS pullover (I'm sorry, I'm not allowed to say you are black)...

We were never going to win in Afghanistan. Black ops against targetted terrorist traing camps might have worked - I believe we were doing that in the years prior to the invasion of Iraq - but trying to take over the country?

[Phil D. Rolls]

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We were never going to win in Afghanistan. Black ops against targetted terrorist traing camps might have worked - I believe we were doing that in the years prior to the invasion of Iraq - but trying to take over the country?

It's not like we haven't tried before. It's not like we haven't had an example of the same thing from recent history (the Russians).

One for the conspiracy theorists here. Do the major powers operate a rota whereby they try to control Afghanistan, or at least keep them busy?

[marinello59]

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As it is looking increasingly like we are losing the war in Afghanistan, does anyone else think that we are in a similair situation to the USA in the 60s and 70s, regarding Vietnam.
.

The similarities between Afghanistan and Vietnam are uncanny.......with many of the same mistakes being made. So yes...........unless there is a major change in strategy this will be our Vietnam.

(A browse through Vietnam, an oral history by Christian Appy really brings home the similarities. It shifted my viewpoint.)

[LiverpoolHibs]

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It's not like we haven't tried before. It's not like we haven't had an example of the same thing from recent history (the Russians).

One for the conspiracy theorists here. Do the major powers operate a rota whereby they try to control Afghanistan, or at least keep them busy?

For what reason?

I think it's becoming clearer and clearer that the only genuine motivation for the cross-party support - in Britain - for continuing the occupation is as a means of maintaining an undivided and unembarrassed NATO and (attempting to maintain or even enforce) our position within it as the pre-dominant link between the U.S. and Europe.

Nothing else really makes alot of sense.

[Tazio]

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For what reason?

I think it's becoming clearer and clearer that the only genuine motivation for the cross-party support - in Britain - for continuing the occupation is as a means of maintaining an undivided and unembarrassed NATO and (attempting to maintain or even enforce) our position within it as the pre-dominant link between the U.S. and Europe.

Nothing else really makes alot of sense.

Apart from the potential oil pipeline through Afghanistan to the Indian Ocean?

If they were desperate to stop terrorist training camps we would be in Sudan, Yemen and Somalia as well of course.

[hibsbollah]

We were discussing this the other day
http://www.hibs.net/message/showthread.php?t=165695

Really excellent piece on the subject here
http://www.newsweek.com/id/182650

[steakbake]

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As it is looking increasingly like we are losing the war in Afghanistan, does anyone else think that we are in a similair situation to the USA in the 60s and 70s, regarding Vietnam.

You sir, third row back with the BHS pullover (I'm sorry, I'm not allowed to say you are black)...

Roger Mellie hosts Question Time.


Yes - I think we're there for a long long time to come. Cats are out of the bag, they're amongst the pigeons and the worms are out of the can.

[LiverpoolHibs]

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Apart from the potential oil pipeline through Afghanistan to the Indian Ocean?

If they were desperate to stop terrorist training camps we would be in Sudan, Yemen and Somalia as well of course.

That's obviously a motivation for being there at all, but I meant purely in terms of support across the British political system. I'm not sure 'we' are going to benefit hugely from the pipeline.

[AndyP]

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As it is looking increasingly like we are losing the war in Afghanistan, does anyone else think that we are in a similair situation to the USA in the 60s and 70s, regarding Vietnam.

You sir, third row back with the BHS pullover (I'm sorry, I'm not allowed to say you are black)...

Operationally perhaps we are close to it, as has been highlghted earlier, however I don't think we are politically.......yet!!

US public opinion on the rights and wrongs of Vietnam are fairly well documented, the fact that the US had to draft their military certainly helped to colour it slightly as well, especially considering their fathers would have been in WW2/Korea.

However the UK public have not turned on the veterans of Afghanistan/Iraq in the same way the US did to their returning vets, personally doubt that they will either.

It would be interesting if one of the mainstream UK parties were thought to make the current conflict (it only really became a war for the Brits when the US began to get uppity) an election issue, perhaps then we would see some real debate/informed opinion


Edited to add

We don't need a Vietnam, we already have Aden and Kenya which is burnt deep into the military psyche to remind us of our falibility